SDF-1 Binding Nucleic Acids

ABSTRACT

The present invention is related to an L nucleic acid that binds to an SDF-1.

The instant application is a continuation application of PCT Ser. No.EP07/006387 filed 18 Jul. 2007, which claims benefit to EP Ser. No.06014957.2 filed 18 Jul. 2006, the contents of which are incorporatedherein by reference in entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is related to nucleic acids binding to the CXCchemokine stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1), and their use in themanufacture of a medicament, and their use in the manufacture of adiagnostic agent.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The chemokines are a family of structurally related, heparin-bindingbasic small proteins of 8-14 kDa. Functionally, they can be classifiedas proinflammatory, homeostatic, or dual function (Moser, Wolf et al.2004). Inflammatory chemokines are induced by pathogens, cytokines, orgrowth factors and recruit effector leukocytes to sites of infection,inflammation, tissue injury, and tumor. Such chemokines regulate therecruitment, activation, and proliferation of white blood cells(leukocytes) (Schall and Bacon 1994; Springer 1995; Baggiolini 1998).Chemokines selectively induce chemotaxis of neutrophils, eosinophils,basophils, monocytes, macrophages, mast cells, T and B cells. Inaddition to their chemotactic effect, they can selectively exert othereffects in responsive cells like changes in cell shape, transientincrease in the concentration of free intracellular calcium ions,degranulation, upregulation of integrins, formation of bioactive lipids(leukotrienes, prostaglandins, thromboxane), or respiratory burst(release of reactive oxygen species for destruction of pathogenicorganisms or tumor cells). Thus, by provoking the release of furtherproinflammatory mediators, chemotaxis and extravasation of leukocytestowards sites of infection or inflammation, chemokines triggerescalation of the inflammatory response. Homeostatic chemokines, on theother hand, are expressed predominantly in bone marrow and lymphoidtissues and are involved in hematopoiesis, immune surveillance, andadaptive immune responses (Godessart 2005).

Based on the arrangement of the first two of four conserved cysteineresidues, the chemokines are divided into four classes: CC orβ-chemokines (e.g.) in which the cysteines are in tandem, CXC orα-chemokines, where they are separated by one additional amino acidresidue, XC or γ chemokines (lymphotactin/XCL1 as only representative todate) that possess only one disulfide bridge, and CX3C-chemokines whichfeature three amino acid residues between the cysteines (membrane-boundfractalkin as only class member; (Bazan, Bacon et al. 1997)).

The CXC chemokines act primarily on neutrophils, in particular those CXCchemokines that carry the amino acid sequence ELR on their aminoterminus. Examples of CXC chemokines that are active on neutrophils areIL-8/CXCL8, GROα/CXCL1, GROβ/CXCL2, and GROγ/CXCL3, NAP-2/CXCL7,ENA-78/CXCL5, SDF-1/CXCL12 and GCP-2/CXCL6. The CC chemokines act on alarger variety of leukocytes, such as monocytes, macrophages,eosinophils, basophils, as well as T and B lymphocytes (Oppenheim,Zachariae et al. 1991; Miller and Krangel 1992; Baggiolini, Dewald etal. 1994; Jose, Griffiths-Johnson et al. 1994; Ponath, Qin et al. 1996).Examples of these are I-309/CCL1; MCP-1/CCL2, MCP-2/CCL8, MCP-3/CCL7,MCP-4/CCL13, MIP-1α/CCL3 and MIP-1β/CCL4, RANTES/CCL5, andcotaxin/CCL11.

Chemokines act through receptors that belong to a superfamily of seventransmembrane-spanning G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs; (Murphy,Baggiolini et al. 2000)). Generally speaking, chemokine and chemokinereceptor interactions tend to be promiscuous in that one chemokine canbind many chemokine receptors and conversely a single chemokine receptorcan interact with several chemokines Some known receptors for the CXCchemokines include CXCR1, which binds GROα, GCP-2, and IL-8; CXCR2,which binds chemokines including GROα, GROβ, GROγ, ENA-78, and IL-8;CXCR3, which binds chemokines including PF4, MIG, IP-10, and I-TAC;CXCR4 which thus far has been found only to signal in response to SDF-1,and CXCRS, which has been shown to signal in response to BCA-1(Godessart 2005).

SDF-1 (stromal-cell derived factor-1; synonyms, CXCL12; PBSF [pre-B-cellgrowth-stimulating factor]; TPAR-1 [TPA repressed gene 1]; SCYB12; TLSF[thymic lymphoma cell stimulating factor]; hIRH [human intercrinereduced in hepatomas]) is an angiogenic CXC chemokine that does notcontain the ELR motif typical of the IL-8-like chemokines (Salcedo,Wasserman et al. 1999; Salcedo and Oppenheim 2003) that binds andactivates the G-protein coupled receptor CXCR4. The chemokine wasdiscovered by three groups independently, either by cloning cDNAs thatcarry N-terminal signal sequences (Tashiro, Tada et al. 1993), by virtueof its ability to stimulate early B cell progenitors when expressed bythe stromal cell line PA6 (Nagasawa, Kikutani et al. 1994), or byisolation from a cDNA library constructed from mouse embryo fibroblaststreated with the protein kinase C-activator tetra dodecanoyl phorbolacetate (TPA) (Jiang, Zhou et al. 1994).

As a result of alternative splicing, there are two forms of SDF-1,SDF-1α (68 AA) and SDF-1β, which carries four additional residues at theC-terminus (Shirozu, Nakano et al. 1995). The biological significance ofthese two splice variants is not completely understood.

The sequence conservation between SDF-1 from different species isremarkable: human SDF-1α (SEQ ID NO:1) and murine SDF-1α (SEQ ID NO:2)are virtually identical. There is a only a single conservative change ofV to I at position 18 (Shirozu, Nakano et al. 1995). Another unusualfeature that distinguishes SDF-1 from most other chemokines is itsselectivity. In fact, SDF-1 and the receptor CXCR4 seem to comprise amonogamous receptor-ligand pair.

An NMR structure model exists (PDB access, 1SDF) for SDF-1 [8-68]. SDF-1was found to be a monomer with a disordered N-terminal region.Differences from other chemokines are found mainly in the packing of thehydrophobic core and surface charge distribution (Crump, Gong et al.1997).

Physiological activities of SDF-1: since the SDF-1 receptor CXCR4 iswidely expressed on leukocytes, mature dendritic cells, endothelialcells, brain cells, and megakaryocytes, the activities of SDF-1 arepleiotropic. This chemokine, more than any other identified thus far,exhibits the widest range of biological functions, especially outside ofthe immune system. The most significant functional effects of SDF-1 are:

Homing and attachment of epithelial cells to neovascular sites in thechoroid portion of the retina. SDF-1 has been shown to be involved inhoming of epithelial cells to the choroid during neovascularization ineye tissue. The exact role of these cells is still under investigationbut the published hypothesis is that epithelial cells are involved inthe formation of aberrant blood vessels (Sengupta, Caballero et al.2005);

Hematopoiesis. SDF-1 is required to maintain hematopoietic progenitor(CD34⁺) cells in the bone marrow of the adult. AMD3100, a selectiveCXCR4 antagonist, can be used to mobilize CD34⁺ cells for hematopoieticstem cell transplantation. CD34⁺ cells migrate in vitro and in vivotowards a gradient of SDF-1 produced by stromal cells (Aiuti, Webb etal. 1997);

B cell development and chemotaxis. SDF-1 supports proliferation ofpre-B-cells and augments the growth of bone marrow B cell progenitors(Nagasawa, Kikutani et al. 1994); it induces specific migration of pre-Bcells and pro-B cells, while not acting as a significant chemoattractantfor mature B cells (D'Apuzzo, Rolink et al. 1997; Bleul, Schultze et al.1998). Presumably, SDF-1 is important for the positioning of B cellswithin secondary lymphoid tissue;

T cell chemotaxis. SDF-1 is one of the most efficacious T cellchemoattractants; CXCR4 is present on many T cell subsets (Bleul, Farzanet al. 1996);

Embryonic development. SDF-1 and its receptor CXCR4 are essential forembryonic development. SDF-1 and CXCR4 knockout mice die perinatally;they exhibit cardiac ventricular septal defects or abnormal cerebellardevelopment in addition to reduced numbers of B cell and myeloidprogenitors (Nagasawa, Hirota et al. 1996; Ma, Jones et al. 1998; Zou,Kottmann et al. 1998). SDF-1 is also required for normal ontogeny ofblood development during embryogenesis (Juarez and Bendall 2004); and

HIV infection. SDF-1 is able to inhibit T-tropic HIV-1 entry intoCXCR4-bearing cell lines, and SDF-1 expression may have an importantbearing on AIDS pathogenesis, since a polymorphism in the human SDF-1gene affects the onset of AIDS (Bleul, Farzan et al. 1996).

Altered expression levels of SDF-1 or its receptor CXCR4 or alteredresponses towards those molecules are associated with many humandiseases, such as retinopathy (Brooks, Caballero et al. 2004; Butler,Guthrie et al. 2005; Meleth, Agron et al. 2005); cancer of breast(Muller, Homey et al. 2001; Cabioglu, Sahin et al. 2005), ovary(Scotton, Wilson et al. 2002), pancreas (Koshiba, Hosotani et al. 2000),thyroid (Hwang, Chung et al. 2003), nasopharynx (Wang, Wu et al. 2005);glioma (Zhou, Larsen et al. 2002); neuroblastoma (Geminder, Sagi-Assifet al. 2001); B cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (Burger, Tsukada etal. 2000); WHIM syndrome (warts, hypogammaglobulinemia, infections,myelokathexis) (Gulino, Moratto et al. 2004; Balabanian, Lagane et al.2005; Kawai, Choi et al. 2005); immunologic deficiency syndromes (Arya,Ginsberg et al. 1999; Marechal, Arenzana-Seisdedos et al. 1999; Soriano,Martinez et al. 2002); pathologic neovascularization (Salvucci, Yao etal. 2002; Yamaguchi, Kusano et al. 2003; Grunewald, Avraham et al.2006); inflammation (Murdoch 2000; Fedyk, Jones et al. 2001; Wang, Guanet al. 2001); multiple sclerosis (Krumbholz, Theil et al. 2006);rheumatoid arthritis/osteoarthritis (Buckley, Amft et al. 2000; Kanbe,Takagishi et al. 2002; Grassi, Cristino et al. 2004).

In experimental animal settings, antagonists of SDF-1 or its receptorhave proved efficient for blocking growth and/or metastatic spreading ofhuman cancer cells of different origin, such as pancreas (Guleng,Tateishi et al. 2005; Saur, Seidler et al. 2005), colon (Zeelenberg,Ruuls-Van Stalle et al. 2003; Guleng, Tateishi et al. 2005), breast(Muller, Homey et al. 2001; Lapteva, Yang et al. 2005), lung (Phillips,Burdick et al. 2003), glioblastoma/medulloblastoma (Rubin, Kung et al.2003), prostate (Sun, Schneider et al. 2005), osteosarcoma(Perissinotto, Cavalloni et al. 2005), melanoma (Takenaga, Tamamura etal. 2004), stomach (Yasumoto, Koizumi et al. 2006) and multiple myeloma(Menu, Asosingh et al. 2006).

In addition, anti-SDF-1 therapy was beneficial in animal models inpreventing retinal neovascularization (Butler, Guthrie et al. 2005),nephritis (Balabanian, Couderc et al. 2003) and arthritis (Matthys,Hatse et al. 2001; Tamamura, Fujisawa et al. 2004; De Klerck, Geboes etal. 2005).

SDF-1 is a player in the pathology of diseases of the back of the eyesuch as diabetic retinopathy (DR) (Fong, Aiello et al. 2004) andage-related macular degeneration (AMD) (Ambati, Anand et al. 2003). Bothof these diseases damage the eye and lead to gradual loss of visionculminating in blindness. The damage occurs due to the inappropriategrowth of blood vessels in the back of the eye, a process known aschoroidal neovascularization (CNV). During CNV, new blood vessels thatoriginate from the choroid migrate through a break in the Bruch membraneinto the sub-retinal pigment epithelium (sub-RPE) or subretinal space.The abnormal vessels can bleed (intraretinal hemorrhage) or leak fluidunder the retina. This can leave scars and can elevate the macula, whichdistorts vision.

SDF-1 is thought to play a role in CNV via recruitment of endothelialprecursor cells (EPCs) to the eye. These precursor cells then become keystructural components in the aberrant blood vessels.

Diabetic retinopathy is a major sequel to diabetes, occurring frequentlyin patients with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. There areapproximately 16 million diabetics in the U.S., with nearly 8 millionhaving some form of diabetic retinopathy. When proliferative diabeticretinopathy (PDR) is left untreated, about 60% of patients become blindin one or both eyes within 5 years. With the alarming rise in theprevalence of diabetes in North America, Europe and many emergingcountries, the patient population is growing quickly. For instance, theincidence of blindness is 25 times higher in patients with diabetes thanin the general population. Furthermore, diabetic retinopathy (DR) is themost common cause of blindness in middle-aged subjects, accounting forat least 12 percent of all new cases in the United States each year.Screening programs are in place so that the vision of diabetes patientscan be monitored and treatment, such as is available, can be deliveredin time.

The direct causes of diabetic retinopathy are poorly understood, but thedisease is thought to have its origins in a combination of sources:impaired auto-regulation of retinal blood flow; accumulation of sorbitolinside retinal cells; and accumulation of advanced glycosylation endproducts in the extracellular fluid. All of these factors are relateddirectly or indirectly to hyperglycemia, the abundance of sugar in thebloodstream.

The symptoms of DR are similar to those of AMD. Patients lose cells inthe retina and microaneurysms (blood flows) occur in the basementmembrane of the retina. In addition, VEGF, IGF-1 and other blood-bornefactors, possibly including SDF-1, attract new vascular cells andencourage the formation of damaging blood vessels.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) destroys a person's centralvision. The early stages of the disease may not even be noticeable,because symptoms vary among patients. Sometimes a patient is affectedonly in one eye, or vision may be impaired in both eyes but notsignificantly. The disease causes distortion or faulty color perception.There is often a dark spot in the center of the visual field.

The etiology (course) of the disease is poorly understood. AMD is oftenthought of as the aging of the outermost layer of the retina. Thephysical alterations occur in the center of the retina, also known asthe macula, which is the part of the retina relied upon for the mostacute vision.

Wet AMD begins as a sequel to the dry form of the disease. Some 90% ofpatients suffer from the dry form of AMD, which results in the thinningof macular tissues and disturbances in its pigmentation. The rest havethe wet form, which involves the bleeding described above.

The wet form of AMD represents an ideal market for a novel therapeutic:already the most common cause of blindness in people over the age of 55,AMD afflicts an estimated 4% to 5% of the United States population aged65-74 and nearly 10% of those 75 years of age or older. There arealready 5 million people in the United States alone over the age of 80who have this disease and another 5 million people are expected to beaffected by 2020.

Tumors are not just masses of cancer cells: infiltration of tumors withimmune cells is a characteristic of cancer. Many human cancers have acomplex chemokine network that influences the extent and phenotype ofthis infiltrate, as well as tumor growth, survival and migration, andangiogenesis. Most solid tumors contain many non-malignant stromalcells. Indeed, stromal cells sometimes outnumber cancer cells. Thepredominant stromal cells that are found in cancers are macrophages,lymphocytes, endothelial cells and fibroblasts.

Malignant cells from different cancer types have different profiles ofchemokine-receptor expression, but the SDF-1 receptor CXCR4 is mostcommonly found in mouse and man. Tumor cells from at least 23 differenttypes of human cancers of epithelial, mesenchymal, and haematopoieticorigin express CXCR4 (Balkwill 2004). SDF-1 is the only known ligand forCXCR4. Apart from the bone marrow and secondary lymphoid tissue, whereit is constitutively expressed, SDF-1 is found in primary tumor sites inlymphoma (Corcione, Ottonello et al. 2000) and brain tumors of bothneuronal and astrocytic lineage. Furthermore, it is present at highlevels in ovarian (Scotton, Wilson et al. 2002) and pancreatic cancer(Koshiba, Hosotani et al. 2000) as well as at sites of metastasis inbreast (Muller, Homey et al. 2001) and thyroid cancer (Hwang, Chung etal. 2003), neuroblastoma and haematological malignancies (Geminder,Sagi-Assif et al. 2001). In contrast, CXCR4 expression is low or absenton normal breast (Muller, Homey et al. 2001), ovarian (Scotton, Wilsonet al. 2002) and prostate epithelia (Sun, Schneider et al. 2005). CXCR4expression thus seems to be a general characteristic of the malignantepithelial cell and not its normal counterpart.

Inhibiting chemokine-receptor signalling on tumor cells has thepotential to induce growth arrest or apoptosis, and prevent invasion andmetastasis in vivo.

CXCR4 knockdown by siRNA abrogated breast tumor growth (Lapteva, Yang etal. 2005); T-hybridoma cells which were transfected with a constructthat prevents surface expression of CXCR4 could no longer metastasize todistant organs when injected intravenously into mice (Zeelenberg,Ruuls-Van Stalle et al. 2001); in similar experiments with colorectalcancer cells, lung and liver metastases were greatly reduced(Zeelenberg, Ruuls-Van Stalle et al. 2003); anti-CXCR4 antibodiesinhibited the spread of breast cancer xenografts to the lymph nodes(Muller, Homey et al. 2001); treatment of lymphoblastoid cells withanti-CXCR4 or anti-SDF-1 antibodies delayed tumor growth in (NOD)/SCIDmice (Bertolini, Dell'Agnola et al. 2002); anti-SDF-1 antibodiesinhibited development of organ metastases of non-small-cell lung cancer(NSCLC) cells (Phillips, Burdick et al. 2003); systemic administrationof the CXCR4 antagonist AMD3100 (AnorMED) inhibited the growth ofintracranial glioblastoma and medulloblastoma xenografts, and increasedtumor cell apoptosis within 24 hours (Rubin, Kung et al. 2003);anti-SDF-1 antibodies inhibited growth of MCF-7 breast cancer cellsadmixed with carcinoma-associated fibroblasts (Orimo, Gupta et al.2005); neutralization of CXCR4 with antibodies blocked prostate cancermetastasis and growth in osseous sites (Sun, Schneider et al. 2005); anddevelopment of lung metastasis after injection of osteosarcoma cells wasprevented by administration of the peptidic CXCR4 antagonist T134(Perissinotto, Cavalloni et al. 2005).

Different authors come to the conclusion that targeting the SDF-1/CXCR4axis may provide new therapeutic options for cancer patients:

Human ovarian tumors strongly express SDF-1 plus, on a lower level,VEGF. Both proteins are triggered by hypoxia in the tumor. Pathologicconcentrations of any of the proteins alone were not sufficient toinduce in vivo angiogenesis, but together, SDF-1 and VEGF in pathologicconcentrations efficiently and synergistically inducedneovascularization. Thus, interrupting this synergistic axis, ratherthan VEGF alone, can be a novel efficient antiangiogenesis strategy totreat cancer (Kryczek, Lange et al. 2005);

Breast cancer cell lines, when equipped with the autocrine SDF-1/CXCR4signalling pathway, display aggressive behavior. This includes anincrease in invasiveness and migration together with faster growth. TheSDF-1/CXCR4 axis may thus provide important information for predictingthe aggressive nature and constitute important therapeutic targets inhuman breast cancer (Kang, Watkins et al. 2005);

Migration and metastasis of small cell lung cancer (SCLC) cells—whichexpress high levels of CXCR4—are regulated by SDF-1. Activation of CXCR4promotes adhesion to accessory cells (such as stromal cells) andextracellular matrix molecules within the tumor microenvironment. Theseadhesive interactions result in an increased resistance of SCLC cells tochemotherapy. As such, inhibitors of the SDF-1/CXCR4 axis may increasethe chemosensitivity of SCLC cells and lead to new therapeutic avenuesfor patients with SCLC (Hartmann, Burger et al. 2004); and

The SDF-1/CXCR4 axis emerges as a pivotal regulator of trafficking ofvarious types of stem cells in the body. Since most if not allmalignancies originate in the stem/progenitor cell compartment, cancerstem cells also express CXCR4 on their surface and, as a result, theSDF-1/CXCR4 axis is involved in directing their trafficking/metastasisto organs that express SDF-1 (e.g. lymph nodes, lungs, liver and bone).In consequence, strategies aimed at modulating the SDF-1/CXCR4 axiscould have important clinical applications both in regenerative medicineto deliver normal stem cells to the tissues and in clinical oncology toinhibit metastasis of cancer stem cells (Kucia, Reca et al. 2005).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The problem underlying the present invention is to provide a specificantagonist of SDF-1. A further aspect of the problem underlying thepresent invention is to provide a compound for the treatment of diseasesand disorders involving SDF-1 and the CXCR4 receptor, respectively.

Another problem underlying the present invention is to provide methodsfor the specific detection of SDF-1.

The problem underlying the present invention is solved by the subjectmatter of the independent claims. Preferred embodiments may be takenfrom the dependent claims.

In a first aspect, the problem underlying the present invention issolved by a nucleic acid molecule, preferably binding to SDF-1, selectedfrom the group comprising type A nucleic acid molecules, type B nucleicacid molecules, type C nucleic acid molecules and nucleic acid moleculeshaving a nucleic acid sequence according to any of SEQ ID NO:142, SEQ IDNO:143 and SEQ ID NO:144.

In an embodiment the type A nucleic acid molecules comprise thefollowing core nucleotide sequence: 5′ AAAGYRACAHGUMAAX_(A)UGAAAGGUARC3′ (SEQ ID NO:19) whereby X_(A) is either absent or is A.

In a preferred embodiment the type A nucleic acid molecules comprise acore nucleotide sequence selected from the group comprising:

5′ AAAGYRACAHGUMAAUGAAAGGUARC 3′, (SEQ ID NO: 20)5′ AAAGYRACAHGUMAAAUGAAAGGUARC 3′, (SEQ ID NO: 21) and5′ AAAGYAACAHGUCAAUGAAAGGUARC 3′, (SEQ ID NO: 22)preferably the core nucleotide sequence comprises:

5′ AAAGYAACAHGUCAAUGAAAGGUARC 3′. (SEQ ID NO: 22)

In an embodiment, the nucleic acid molecule comprises in the 5′→3′direction a first stretch of nucleotides, the core nucleotide sequence,and a second stretch of nucleotides.

In an embodiment, the nucleic acid molecule comprises in 5′→3′ directiona second stretch of nucleotides, the core nucleotide sequence, and afirst stretch of nucleotides.

In a preferred embodiment the nucleic acid molecule comprises the firstand the second stretch of nucleotides and said first and said secondstretch of nucleotides optionally hybridize with each other, wherebyupon hybridization a double-stranded structure is formed.

In a further preferred embodiment, the double-stranded structureconsists of four to six base pairs, preferably five base pairs.

In an embodiment, the first stretch of nucleotides comprise a nucleotidesequence of 5′ X₁X₂NNBV 3′ (SEQ ID NO:44) and the second stretch ofnucleotides comprises a nucleotide sequence of 5′ BNBNX₃X₄ 3′ (SEQ IDNO:45),

wherein X₁ is either absent or R, X₂ is S, X₃ is S and X₄ is eitherabsent or Y; or

X₁ is absent, X₂ is either absent or S, X₃ is either absent or S and X₄is absent.

In an embodiment, the first stretch of nucleotides comprises anucleotide sequence of 5′ RSHRYR 3′ (SEQ ID NO:23) and the secondstretch of nucleotides comprises a nucleotide sequence of 5′ YRYDSY3′(SEQ ID NO:24), preferably the first stretch of nucleotides comprisesa nucleotide sequence of 5′ GCUGUG 3′ and the second stretch ofnucleotides comprises a nucleotide sequence of 5′ CGCAGC 3′.

In an embodiment, the first stretch of nucleotides comprises anucleotide sequence of 5′ X₂BBBS 3′ (SEQ ID NO:42) and the secondstretch of nucleotides comprises a nucleotide sequence of 5′ SBBVX₃ 3′(SEQ ID NO:43), wherein X₂ is either absent or is S and X₃ is eitherabsent or is S; preferably the first stretch of nucleotides comprises anucleotide sequence of 5′ CUGUG 3′ and the second stretch of nucleotidescomprises a nucleotide sequence of 5′ CGCAG 3′; or the first stretch ofnucleotides comprises a nucleotide sequence of 5′ GCGUG 3′ and thesecond stretch of nucleotides comprises a nucleotide sequence of 5′CGCGC 3′.

In an embodiment the nucleic acid molecule has a nucleic acid sequenceaccording to any of SEQ ID NOs:5 to 18, 25 to 41, 133, 137 or 139 to141.

In an embodiment the type B nucleic acid molecules comprise thefollowing core nucleotide sequence: 5′GUGUGAUCUAGAUGUADWGGCUGWUCCUAGUYAGG 3′ (SEQ ID NO:57).

In a preferred embodiment, the type B nucleic acid molecules comprise acore nucleotide sequence of GUGUGAUCUAGAUGUADUGGCUGAUCCUAGUCAGG (SEQ IDNO:58).

In an embodiment, the nucleic acid molecule comprises in the 5′→3′direction a first stretch of nucleotides, the core nucleotide sequence,and a second stretch of nucleotides.

In an embodiment, the nucleic acid molecule comprises in the 5′→3′direction a second stretch of nucleotides, the core nucleotide sequence,and a first stretch of nucleotides.

In a preferred embodiment, the nucleic acid molecule comprises the firstand the second stretch of nucleotides and said first and said secondstretch of nucleotides optionally hybridize with each other, wherebyupon hybridization a double-stranded structure is formed.

In an embodiment, the double-stranded structure consists of four to sixbase pairs, preferably five base pairs.

In an embodiment, the first stretch of nucleotides comprises anucleotide sequence of 5′ X₁X₂SVNS 3′ (SEQ ID NO:77) and the secondstretch of nucleotides comprises a nucleotide sequence of 5′ BVBSX₃X₄ 3′(SEQ ID NO:78), wherein X₁ is either absent or is A, X₂ is G, X₃ is Cand X₄ is either absent or is U; or X₁ is absent, X₂ is either absent oris G, X₃ is either absent or is C and X₄ is absent.

In an embodiment, the first stretch of nucleotides comprises anucleotide sequence of 5′ X₁GCRWG 3′ (SEQ ID NO:59) and the secondstretch of nucleotides comprises a nucleotide sequence of 5′ KRYSCX₄3′(SEQ ID NO:60), wherein X₁ is either absent or A, and X₄ is eitherabsent or U.

In an embodiment the first stretch of nucleotides comprises a nucleotidesequence of 5′ X₁GCGUG 3′ (SEQ ID N0:75) and the second stretch ofnucleotides comprises a nucleotide sequence of 5′ UACGCX₄ 3′ (SEQ IDN0:76), wherein X₁ is either absent or A, and X₄ is either absent or U,preferably the first stretch of nucleotides comprises a nucleotidesequence of 5′ AGCGUG 3′ and the second stretch of nucleotides comprisesa nucleotide sequence of 5′ UACGCU 3′.

In an embodiment, the first stretch of nucleotides comprises anucleotide sequence of 5′ X₂SSBS 3′ (SEQ ID NO:73) and the secondstretch of nucleotides comprises a nucleotide sequence of 5′ BVSSX₃ 3′(SEQ ID N0:74), wherein X₂ is either absent or G, and X₃ is eitherabsent or C, preferably the first stretch of nucleotides comprises anucleotide sequence of 5′ GCGUG 3′ and the second stretch of nucleotidescomprises a nucleotide sequence of 5′ UACGC 3′.

In an embodiment, the nucleic acid molecule has a nucleic acid sequenceaccording to any of SEQ ID NOs:46 to 56, 61 to 72 or 132.

In an embodiment, the type C nucleic acid molecules comprise a corenucleotide sequence of GGUYAGGGCUHRX_(A)AGUCGG (SEQ ID N0:90), whereinX_(A) is either absent or is A.

In a preferred embodiment, the type C nucleic acid molecules comprise acore nucleotide sequence selected from the group comprising:

5′ GGUYAGGGCUHRAAGUCGG 3′, (SEQ ID NO: 91) 5′ GGUYAGGGCUHRAGUCGG 3′,(SEQ ID NO: 92) and 5′ GGUUAGGGCUHGAAGUCGG 3′, (SEQ ID NO: 93)preferably the core nucleotide sequence comprises 5′ GGUUAGGGCUHGAAGUCGG3′ (SEQ ID NO:93).

In an embodiment, the nucleic acid molecule comprises in the 5′→3′direction, a first stretch of nucleotides, the core nucleotide sequence,and a second stretch of nucleotides.

In an embodiment, the nucleic acid molecule comprises in the 5′→3′direction, a second stretch of nucleotides, the core nucleotidesequence, and a first stretch of nucleotides.

In a preferred embodiment, the nucleic acid molecule comprises the firstand the second stretch of nucleotides and whereby at least a part ofsaid first stretch and at least a part of said second stretch ofnucleotides optionally hybridize with each other, whereby uponhybridization a double-stranded structure is formed.

In an embodiment, the length of the first stretch and the length of thesecond stretch is individually and independently 0 to 17 nucleotides,preferably 4 to 10 nucleotides and more preferably 4 to 6 nucleotides.

In an embodiment, the double-stranded structure comprises 4 to 10 basepairs, preferably 4 to 6 base pairs, more preferably 5 base pairs.

In a preferred embodiment, the double-stranded structure comprises 4 to10 consecutive base pairs, preferably 4 to 6 consecutive base pairs,more preferably 5 consecutive base pairs.

In an embodiment, the first stretch of nucleotides comprises anucleotide sequence of 5′ RKSBUSNVGR 3′ (SEQ ID NO:120) and the secondstretch of nucleotides comprises a nucleotide sequence of 5′ YYNRCASSMY3′ (SEQ ID NO:121), preferably the first stretch of nucleotidescomprises a nucleotide sequence of 5′ RKSBUGSVGR 3′ (SEQ ID NO:122) andthe second stretch of nucleotides comprises a nucleotide sequence of 5′YCNRCASSMY 3′ (SEQ ID NO:123).

In an embodiment, the first stretch of nucleotides comprises anucleotide sequence of 5′ X_(S)SSSV 3′ (SEQ ID NO:124) and the secondstretch of nucleotides comprises a nucleotide sequence of 5′ BSSSX_(S)3′ (SEQ ID NO:125), whereby X_(s) is either absent or is S.

In an embodiment, the first stretch of nucleotides comprises anucleotide sequence of 5′ SSSSR 3′ (SEQ ID NO:130) and the secondstretch of nucleotides comprise a nucleotide sequence of 5′ YSBSS 3′(SEQ ID NO:131), preferably the first stretch of nucleotides comprises anucleotide sequence of 5′ SGGSR 3′ (SEQ ID NO:126) and the secondstretch of nucleotides comprises a nucleotide sequence of 5′ YSCCS 3′(SEQ ID NO:127).

In an embodiment, the first stretch of nucleotides comprises anucleotide sequence of 5′ GCSGG 3′ (SEQ ID NO:128) and the secondstretch of nucleotides comprises a nucleotide sequence of 5′ CCKGC 3′(SEQ ID NO:129), preferably the first stretch of nucleotides comprises anucleotide sequence of 5′ GCCGG 3′ and the second stretch of nucleotidescomprises a nucleotide sequence of 5′ CCGGC 3′.

In an embodiment, the first stretch of nucleotides comprises anucleotide sequence of 5′ CGUGCGCUUGAGAUAGG 3′ (SEQ ID NO:82)and thesecond stretch of nucleotides comprises a nucleotide sequence of 5′CUGAUUCUCACG 3′ (SEQ ID NO:82).

In an embodiment, the first stretch of nucleotides comprises anucleotide sequence of 5′ UGAGAUAGG 3′ and the second stretch ofnucleotides comprises a nucleotide sequence of 5′ CUGAUUCUCA 3′ (SEQ IDNO:82).

In an embodiment, the first stretch of nucleotides comprises anucleotide sequence of 5′ GAGAUAGG 3′ and the second stretch ofnucleotides comprises a nucleotide sequence of 5′ CUGAUUCUC 3′.

In an embodiment the nucleic acid molecule has a nucleic acid sequenceaccording to any of SEQ ID NOs:79 to 89, 94 to 119 or 134 to 136.

In an embodiment, the nucleic acid molecule has a nucleic acid sequenceaccording to any of SEQ ID NOs:142 to 144.

In an embodiment, the nucleic acid molecule is an antagonist to SDF-1.

In an embodiment, the nucleic acid molecule is an antagonist of theSDF-1 receptor system, preferably the SDF-1 receptor of the SDF-1receptor system is the CXCR4 receptor.

In an embodiment, the SDF-1 is a human SDF-1 and/or the SDF-1 receptoris a human SDF-1 receptor.

In an embodiment, SDF-1 comprises an amino acid sequence according toSEQ ID NO:1.

In an embodiment, the nucleic acid comprises a modification.

In a preferred embodiment, the modification is selected from the groupcomprising a HES moiety and a PEG moiety.

In a further preferred embodiment, the modification is a PEG moietyconsisting of a straight or branched PEG, whereby the molecular weightof the PEG moiety is preferably from about 2 to 180 kD, more preferablyfrom about 60 to 140 kD and most preferably about 40 kD.

In an embodiment, the modification is a HES moiety, whereby preferablythe molecular weight of the HES moiety is from about 10 to 130 kD, morepreferably from about 30 to 130 kD and most preferably about 100 kD.

In an embodiment, the nucleotides of the nucleic acid are L-nucleotides,preferably the nucleotides of the sequences according to any of SEQ IDNOs:19, 20, 21, 22, 57, 58, 90, 91, 92, and 93.

In a second aspect, the problem underlying the present invention issolved by a pharmaceutical composition comprising a nucleic acidaccording to the first aspect and optionally a further constituent,whereby the further constituent is selected from the group comprisingpharmaceutically acceptable excipients and pharmaceutically activeagents.

In a third aspect, the problem underlying the present invention issolved by the use of a nucleic acid according to the first aspect forthe manufacture of a medicament.

In an embodiment of the third aspect, the medicament is for thetreatment and/or prevention of a disease or disorder, whereby suchdisease or disorder is mediated by SDF-1, preferably such disease ordisorder is selected from the group comprising back-of-the-eye diseaseslike diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration; cancerof breast, ovary, prostate, pancreas, thyroid, nasopharynx, colon, lung,and stomach; osteosarcoma; melanoma; glioma; medullo- and neuroblastoma;leukemia; WHIM syndrome; immunologic deficiency syndromes; pathologicneovascularization; inflammation; multiple sclerosis; rheumatoidarthritis/osteoarthritis and nephritis.

In an embodiment of the third aspect, the medicament is for inhibitingangiogenesis, neovascularization, inflammation and metastasis.

In a fourth aspect, the problem underlying the present invention issolved by the use of the nucleic acid according to the first aspect forthe manufacture of a diagnostic means.

In an embodiment of the fourth aspect, the diagnostic means is for thediagnosis of a disease, whereby the disease is selected from the groupcomprising back-of-the-eye diseases like diabetic retinopathy andage-related macular degeneration; cancer of breast, ovaries, prostate,pancreas, thyroid, nasopharynx, colon, lung, and stomach; osteosarcoma;melanoma; glioma; medullo- and neuroblastoma; leukemia; WHIM syndrome;immunologic deficiency syndromes; pathologic neovascularization;inflammation; multiple sclerosis; rheumatoid arthritis/osteoarthritisand nephritis.

In an embodiment of the fourth aspect, the diagnostic means is fordiagnosing angiogenesis, neovascularization, inflammation and/ormetastasis.

In a fifth aspect, the problem underlying the present invention issolved by a complex comprising SDF-1 and a nucleic acid according to thefirst aspect, whereby preferably the complex is a crystalline complex.

In a sixth aspect, the problem underlying the present invention issolved by the use of the nucleic acid according to the first aspect forthe detection of SDF-1.

In a seventh aspect, the problem underlying the present invention issolved by a method for the screening of an SDF-1 antagonist or an SDF-1agonist comprising the following steps:

providing a candidate SDF-1 antagonist and/or a candidate SDF-1 agonist,

providing a nucleic acid according to the first aspect,

providing a test system which provides a signal in the presence of anSDF-1 antagonist and/or an SDF-1 agonist, and

determining whether the candidate SDF-1 antagonist is an SDF-1antagonist and/or whether the candidate SDF-1 agonist is an SDF-1agonist.

In an eighth aspect, the problem underlying the present invention issolved by a method for the screening of an SDF-1 agonist and/or an SDF-1antagonist comprises the following steps:

providing SDF-1 immobilised to a phase, preferably a solid phase,

providing a nucleic acid according to the first aspect, preferably anucleic acid according to the first aspect which is labelled,

adding a candidate SDF-1 agonist and/or a candidate SDF-1 antagonist,and

determining whether the candidate SDF-1 agonist is an SDF-1 agonistand/or whether the candidate SDF-1 antagonist is an SDF-1 antagonist.

In an embodiment of the eighth aspect, the determining is carried outsuch that it is assessed whether the nucleic acid is replaced by thecandidate SDF-1 agonist or by a candidate SDF-1 antagonist.

In a ninth aspect, the problem underlying the present invention issolved by a kit for the detection of SDF-1, comprising a nucleic acidaccording to the first aspect.

In a tenth aspect, the problem underlying the present invention issolved by an SDF-1 antagonist obtainable by the method according to theseventh aspect or the eighth aspect.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The present invention is further illustrated by the figures, examplesand the sequence listing from which further features, embodiments andadvantages may be taken.

FIG. 1 shows an alignment of sequences of related RNA ligands binding tohuman SDF-1 indicating the sequence motif (“Type A”) that is in apreferred embodiment in its entirety essential for binding to humanSDF-1. In the figure and in subsequent figures, terminal nucleotidesthat may hybridize to each other are indicated in boldface; nucleotidesthat comprise a motif that binds SDF-1 are delimited in a box; nt. isnucleotides; variable positions are indicated by background shading; andComp. relates to clones that were tested as aptamers in a competitionbinding assay. In this figure, the clones were tested with 192-A10-001as a reference, where = indicates equal binding affinity as 192-A10-001,< indicates weaker binding affinity than 192-A10-001 and << indicatesmuch weaker binding affinity than 192-A10-001.

FIG. 2A shows derivatives of RNA ligand 192-A10-001 (human SDF-1 RNAligand of sequence motif “Type A”). In the figure and in subsequentfigures, i.a. is inactive, PD. provides the results of a pull-down assaywhere clones were tested as aptamers; and TAX provides the results ofclones tested as spiegelmers in a cell culture chemotaxis assay. In thisfigure, in the competition assay <<< indicates very much weaker bindingaffinity than 192-Al 0-001.

FIG. 2B shows derivatives of RNA ligand 192-A10-001 (human SDF-1 RNAligand of sequence motif “Type A”). In the figure, the results of thecompetition assay relate to 192-A10-001 or 192-A10-008. Clones weretested as aptamers with 192-A10-001, except * are clones192-A10-020,-021,-022 and -023 which were tested with 192-A10-008 whichhas the same binding affinity to SDF-1 as does 192A10-001.

FIG. 3 shows an alignment of sequences of related RNA ligands binding tohuman SDF-1 indicating the sequence motif (“Type B”) that is in apreferred embodiment in its entirety essential for binding to humanSDF-1. For the competition assay, clones C2, G2 and F2 were tested asaptamers with 192-A10-001. All other clones were tested with 193-G2-012which has the same binding affinity for SDF-1 as does 193-G2-001, seeFIG. 4B. + is better binding affinity than 192-A10-001 and the otherresults indicate varying levels of reduced binding affinity as comparedto 193-G2-001 or -012. X₁ is A or absent. X₄ is U or absent.

FIG. 4A shows derivatives of RNA ligands 193-C2-001 and 193-G2-001(human SDF-1 RNA ligands of sequence motif “Type B”). The results of thecompetition assay are relative to 193-G2-001.

FIG. 4B shows derivatives of RNA ligands 193-C2-001 and 193-G2-001(human SDF-1 RNA ligands of sequence motif “Type B”). The results of thecompetition assay are relative to 193-G2-001 or -012. Clones were testedas aptamers with 193-G2-001 except * are clones 193-G2-015, -016 and-017 which were tested with 193-G2-012 which has the same bindingaffinity for SDF-1 as does 193-G2-001.

FIG. 5 shows an alignment of sequences of related RNA ligands binding tohuman SDF-1 indicating the sequence motif (“Type C”) that is in apreferred embodiment in its entirety essential for binding to humanSDF-1. Competition assay results are relative to 192-A10-001. * isalternative hybridization.

FIG. 6 shows derivatives of RNA ligand 190-A3-001 (human SDF-1 RNAligand of sequence motif “Type C”). Competition assay results arerelative to 190-A3-001. * is alternative hybridization of the terminalnucleotides.

FIG. 7A shows derivatives of RNA ligand 190-D5-001 (human SDF-1 RNAligand of sequence motif “Type C”). The competition assay results wereobtained with 191-D5-001 and -007, which have the same binding affinityfor SDF-1.

FIG. 7B shows derivatives of RNA ligand 190-D5-001 (human SDF-1 RNAligand of sequence motif “Type C”). The competition assay results wereobtained using as reference, 191-D5-007.

FIG. 8 shows derivatives of RNA ligand 197-B2 (human SDF-1 RNA ligand ofsequence motif “Type C”). In the competition assay, 197-B2 and191-D5-007, which have equivalent binding affinity for SDF-1, were used.

FIG. 9 shows further RNA ligands binding to human SDF-1.

FIG. 10 shows the human SDF-1-induced chemotaxis of Jurkat human T cellleukemia cells whereas after 3 hours migration of Jurkat human T cellleukemia cells towards various human SDF-1 concentrations adose-response curve for human SDF-1 was obtained, represented asfluorescence signal over concentration of human SDF-1.

FIG. 11 shows the result of a binding analysis of the human SDF-1binding aptamer 192-A10-001 to biotinylated human D-SDF-1 at 37° C.,represented as binding of the aptamer over concentration of biotinylatedhuman D-SDF-1.

FIG. 12 shows the efficacy of human SDF-1 binding Spiegelmer 192-A10-001in a chemotaxis assay; cells were allowed to migrate towards human 0.3nM SDF-1 preincubated at 37° C. with various amounts of Spiegelmer192-A10-001, represented as percentage of control over concentration ofSpiegelmer 192-A10-001.

FIG. 13 shows the result of a competitive binding analysis of the humanSDF-1 binding aptamers 192-A10-001, 192-F10-001, 192-C9-001,192-E10-001, 192-C10-001, 192-D11-001, 192-G11-001, 192-H11-001,192-D10-001, 192-E9-001 and 192-H9-001 to biotinylated human D-SDF-1 at37° C., represented as binding of the labeled aptamer 192-A10-001 (usedas reference that is displaced by the non-labeled aptamers) at 1 nM and5 nM non-labeled aptamers 192-A10-001, 192-F10-001, 192-C9-001,192-E10-001, 192-C10-001, 192-D11-001, 192-G11-001, 192-H11-001,192-D10-001, 192-E9-001 and 192-H9-001.

FIG. 14 shows the result of a binding analysis of the human SDF-1binding aptamer 192-A10-008 to biotinylated human D-SDF-1 at 37° C.,represented as binding of the aptamer over concentration of biotinylatedhuman D-SDF-1.

FIG. 15 shows a Biacore 2000 sensorgram indicating the K_(D) value ofthe human SDF-1 binding Spiegelmer 192-A10-008 binding to human SDF-1which was immobilized on a PioneerF1 sensor chip by amine couplingprocedure, represented as response (RU) over time, additionally the on-and off-rates and the K_(D) values of Spiegelmers 192-A10-008 and192-A10-001 are listed.

FIG. 16 shows the efficacy of SDF-1 binding Spiegelmer 192-A10-008 in achemotaxis assay; cells were allowed to migrate towards 0.3 nM humanSDF-1 preincubated at 37° C. with various amounts of Spiegelmer192-A10-008, represented as percentage of control over concentration ofSpiegelmer 192-A10-008.

FIG. 17 shows a Biacore 2000 sensorgram indicating the K_(D) value ofSpiegelmer 193-G2-01 binding to human SDF-1 which was immobilized on aPioneerF1 sensor chip by amine coupling procedure, represented asresponse (RU) over time, additionally the on- and off-rates and theK_(D) values of Spiegelmer 193-G2-001 are listed.

FIG. 18 shows the result of a binding analysis of the human anti-SDF-1aptamer 193-G2-012 to biotinylated human D-SDF-1 at 37° C., representedas binding of the aptamer over concentration of biotinylated humanD-SDF-1.

FIG. 19 shows the result of a competitive binding analysis of the humanSDF-1 binding aptamers 190-A3-001, 190-A3-003, 190-A3-004, 190-A3-007,191-D5-001, 191-D5-002, 191-D5-003, 191-D5-004, 191-D5-005, 191-D5-006and 191-D5-007 to biotinylated human D-SDF-1 at 37° C., represented asbinding of the labeled aptamer 190-A3-001 or 191-D5-001 (used asreference that is displaced by the non-labeled aptamers) at 500 nM, 50nM and 10 nM non-labeled aptamers 190-A3-001, 190-A3-003, 190-A3-004,190-A3-007, 191-D5-001, 191-D5-002, 191-D5-003, 191-D5-004, 191-D5-005,191-D5-006 and 191-D5-007.

FIG. 20 shows the result of a binding analysis of the human SDF-1binding aptamers 190-A3-004 and 191-D5-007 to biotinylated human D-SDF-137° C., represented as binding of the aptamer over concentration ofbiotinylated human D-SDF-1.

FIG. 21 shows a Biacore 2000 sensorgram indicating the K_(D) value ofSpiegelmer 191-D5-007 binding to human SDF-1 which was immobilized on aPioneerF1 sensor chip by amine coupling procedure, represented asresponse (RU) over time, additionally the on- and off-rates and theK_(D) values of Spiegelmer 191-D5-007 are listed.

FIG. 22 shows the efficacy of SDF-1 binding Spiegelmer 190-A3-004 in achemotaxis assay; cells were allowed to migrate towards 0.3 nM humanSDF-1 preincubated at 37° C. with various amounts of Spiegelmer190-A3-004, represented as percentage of control over concentration ofSpiegelmer 190-A3-004.

FIG. 23A shows the efficacy of SDF-1 binding Spiegelmers193-G2-012-5′-PEG, 197-B2-006-5′-PEG, 191-D5-007-5′-PEG and191-A10-008-5′-PEG in a chemotaxis assay; cells were allowed to migratetowards 0.3 nM human SDF-1 preincubated at 37° C. with various amountsof Spiegelmers 193-G2-012-5′-PEG, 197-B2-006-5′-PEG, 191-D5-007-5′-PEGand 191-A10-008-5′-PEG, represented as percentage of control overconcentration of Spiegelmers 193-G2-012-5′-PEG, 197-B2-006-5′-PEG,191-D5-007-5′-PEG and 191-A10-008-5′-PEG.

FIG. 23B shows the efficacy of SDF-1 binding Spiegelmers197-B2-006-5′PEG and 197-B2-006-31b-5′-PEG in a chemotaxis assay; cellswere allowed to migrate towards 0.3 nM human SDF-1 preincubated at 37°C. with various amounts of Spiegelmers 197-B2-006-5′PEG and197-B2-006-31b-5′-PEG, represented as percentage of control overconcentration of Spiegelmers 197-B2-006-5′PEG and 197-B2-006-31b-5′-PEG.

FIG. 24A shows a Biacore 2000 sensorgram indicating the K_(D) values ofSpiegelmers 193-G2-012-5′-PEG, 191-A10-008-5′-PEG and 191-A10-001-5′-PEGbinding to human SDF-1 which was immobilized on a PioneerF1 sensor chipby amine coupling procedure, represented as response (RU) over time.

FIG. 24B shows a Biacore 2000 sensorgram indicating the K_(D) values ofSpiegelmers 197-B2-006-5′PEG, 197-B2-006-31b-5′-PEG and191-D5-007-5′-PEG binding to human SDF-1 which was immobilized on aPioneerF1 sensor chip by amine coupling procedure, represented asresponse (RU) over time.

FIG. 25A shows the efficacy of SDF-1 binding Spiegelmers 192-A10-001,192-A10-001-5′-HES130 and 192-A10-001-5′-HES100 in a chemotaxis assay;cells were allowed to migrate towards 0.3 nM human SDF-1 preincubated at37° C. with various amounts of Spiegelmers 192-A10-001,192-A10-001-5′-HES130 and 192-A10-001-5′-HES100, represented aspercentage of control over concentration of Spiegelmers 192-A10-001,192-A10-001-5′-HES130 and 192-A10-001-5′-HES100.

FIG. 25B shows the efficacy of SDF-1 binding Spiegelmers 192-A10-001,192-A10-001-5′-PEG30 and 192-A10-001-5′-PEG40 in a chemotaxis assay;cells were allowed to migrate towards 0.3 nM human SDF-1 preincubated at37° C. with various amounts of Spiegelmers 192-A10-001,192-A10-001-5′-PEG30 and 192-A10-001-5′-PEG40, represented as percentageof control over concentration of Spiegelmers 192-A10-001,192-A10-001-5′-PEG30 and 192-A10-001-5′-PEG40.

FIG. 26 shows the inefficacy of a control-Spiegelmer in a chemotaxisassay; cells were allowed to migrate towards 0.3 nM human or murineSDF-1 preincubated at 37° C. with various amounts of control-Spiegelmer,represented as percentage of control over concentration of controlSpiegelmer.

FIG. 27 shows the murine SDF-1-induced chemotaxis of Jurkat human T cellleukemia cells whereas after 3 hours migration of Jurkat human T cellleukemia cells towards various SDF-1 concentrations a dose-responsecurve for SDF-1 was obtained, represented as fluorescence signal.

FIG. 28 shows the efficacy of SDF-1 binding Spiegelmers 192-A10-001 and191-D5-007-5′PEG in a chemotaxis assay; cells were allowed to migratetowards 0.3 nM murine SDF-1 preincubated at 37° C. with various amountsof Spiegelmers 192-A10-001 and 191-D5-007-5′PEG represented aspercentage of control over concentration of Spiegelmers 192-A10-001 and191-D5-007-5′PEG.

FIG. 29 shows the efficacy of SDF-1 binding Spiegelmer 192-A10-001 in aCXCR4-receptor binding assay using human [¹²⁵I]-SDF-1α that waspreincubated at 37° C. with various amounts of Spiegelmers 192-A10-001,specifically bound [¹²⁵I]-SDF-1α was plotted over concentration ofSpiegelmer 192-A10-001.

FIG. 30 shows the inhibition of MAP-kinase stimulation ofCXCR4-expressing cells with 1 nM human SDF-1α by human SDF-1 bindingSpiegelmer 192-A10-001.

FIG. 31 shows the inhibition of SDF-1 induced sprouting by human SDF-1binding Spiegelmer 193-G2-012-5′-PEG and by PEGylated Control Spiegelmerin aortic ring sprouting assay, whereby rings from rat aorta wereembedded in collagen matrix and incubated for 6 days with SDF-1 with orwithout Spiegelmers (a: control; b: 10 nM SDF-1; c: 10 nM SDF-1+1 μMhuman SDF-1 binding Spiegelmer 193-G2-012-5′-PEG; d: 10 nM SDF-1+1 μMPEGylated Control Spiegelmer).

FIG. 32 shows the inhibition of SDF-1 induced sprouting by human SDF-1binding Spiegelmer 193-G2-012-5′-PEG and by PEGylated Control Spiegelmerin aortic ring sprouting assay whereby sprouting indices are shown asmean+/−SD for 5 rings per condition (*: the value for SDF-1 issignificantly different from control (Mann-Whitney test; p=0.009); **:the value for SDF-1+human SDF-1 binding Spiegelmer 193-G2-012-5′-PEG issignificantly different from that for SDF-1 (Mann-Whitney test;p=0.028).

FIG. 33 shows the plasma level of human SDF-1 binding Spiegelmer193-G2-012-5′-PEG and SDF-1 in rats after an intravenous bolus of humanSDF-1 binding Spiegelmer 193-G2-012-5′-PEG in comparison with the SDF-1plasma level of rat that was not treated with human SDF-1 bindingSpiegelmer 193-G2-012-5′-PEG, whereby the plasma level of human SDF-1binding Spiegelmer 193-G2-012-5′-PEG and SDF-1 were determined over aperiod of 96 hours.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is based on the surprising finding that it ispossible to generate nucleic acids binding specifically and with highaffinity to SDF-1.

SDF-1 is a basic peptide having the amino acid sequence according to SEQID NO:1. The calculated pI of SDF-1 is 9.70. As used herein, the termSDF-1 refers to any SDF-1 including, but not limited to, mammalianSDF-1. Preferably, the mammalian SDF-1 is selected from the groupcomprising mice, rat, rabbit, hamster, monkey and human SDF-1. Mostpreferably, the SDF-1 is human SDF-1 (SEQ ID NO:1).

The finding that high affinity binding nucleic acids to SDF-1 could beidentified, is insofar surprising as Eaton et al. (Eaton, Gold et al.1997) observed that the generation of aptamers, i.e. D-nucleic acidsbinding to a target molecule, directed to a basic protein is in generalvery difficult because this kind of target produces a high butnon-specific signal-to-noise ratio. This high signal-to-noise ratioresults from the high non-specific affinity shown by nucleic acids forbasic targets such as SDF-1.

The features of the nucleic acid according to the present invention asdescribed herein can be realised in any aspect of the present inventionwhere the nucleic acid is used, either alone or in any combination.

Without wishing to be bound by any theory, the present inventors assumethat the observed specificity of the SDF-1 binding nucleic acidsaccording to the present invention share some structural features and inparticular one of the nucleotide sequences which are also referred totherein as core sequences which shall be discussed in more detail in thefollowing, whereby reference is made to FIGS. 1 to 8 and to Example 1.However, it is to be understood that said Figures and Example 1incorporate several of said structural features which do not have to benecessarily realized in each and any of the nucleic acids according tothe present invention.

As outlined in more detail in the claims and Example 1, the varioushuman SDF-1 binding nucleic acid molecules can be categorised based onsaid Boxes and some structural features and elements, respectively. Thevarious categories thus defined are also referred to herein as types andmore specifically as Type A, Type B and Type C.

In a preferred embodiment, the nucleic acid according to the presentinvention is a single nucleic acid molecule. In a further embodiment,the single nucleic acid molecule is present as a multitude of the singlenucleic acid molecule. Preferably, the terms nucleic acid and nucleicacid molecule are used in an interchangeable manner herein if notindicated to the contrary.

It will be acknowledged by the ones skilled in the art that the nucleicacid molecule in accordance with the invention preferably consists ofnucleotides which are covalently linked to each other, preferablythrough phosphodiester links or linkages.

The nucleic acids according to the present invention shall also comprisenucleic acids which are essentially homologous to the particularsequences disclosed herein. The term substantially homologous shall beunderstood such as the homology is at least 75%, preferably 85%, morepreferably 90% and most preferably more that 95%, 96% , 97%, 98% or 99%.

The actual percentage of homologous nucleotides present in the nucleicacid according to the present invention will depend on the total numberof nucleotides present in the nucleic acid. The percent modification canbe based upon the total number of nucleotides present in the nucleicacid.

The homology can be determined as known to the person skilled in theart. More specifically, a sequence comparison algorithm then calculatesthe percent sequence identity for the test sequence(s) relative to thereference sequence, based on the designated program parameters. The testsequence is preferably the sequence or nucleic acid molecule which issaid to be or to be tested whether it is homologous, and if so, to whatextent, to another nucleic acid molecule, whereby such another nucleicacid molecule is also referred to as the reference sequence. In anembodiment, the reference sequence is a nucleic acid molecule asdescribed herein, more preferably a nucleic acid molecule having asequence according to any of SEQ ID NOs:5 to 144. Optimal alignment ofsequences for comparison can be conducted, e.g., by the local homologyalgorithm of Smith & Waterman (Smith & Waterman, 1981) by the homologyalignment algorithm of Needleman & Wunsch (Needleman & Wunsch, 1970) bythe search for similarity method of Pearson & Lipman (Pearson & Lipman,1988), by computerized implementations of these algorithms (GAP,BESTFIT, FASTA, and TFASTA in the Wisconsin Genetics Software Package,Genetics Computer Group, 575 Science Dr., Madison, Wis.), or by visualinspection.

One example of an algorithm that is suitable for determining percentsequence identity is the algorithm used in the basic local alignmentsearch tool (hereinafter “BLAST”), see, e.g. Altschul et al. (Altschulet al. 1990 and Altschul et al., 1997). Software for performing BLASTanalyses is publicly available through the National Center forBiotechnology Information (hereinafter “NCBI”). The default parametersused in determining sequence identity using the software available fromNCBI, e.g., BLASTN (for nucleotide sequences) and BLASTP (for amino acidsequences) are described in McGinnis et al. (McGinnis et al., 2004).

The term, “inventive nucleic acid” or “nucleic acid” according to thepresent invention shall also comprise those nucleic acids comprising thenucleic acids sequences disclosed herein or part thereof, preferably tothe extent that the nucleic acids or said parts are involved in thebinding to SDF-1. Such a nucleic acid may be derived from the onesdisclosed herein, e.g., by truncation. Truncation may be related toeither or both of the ends of the nucleic acids as disclosed herein.Also, truncation may be related to the inner sequence of nucleotides,i.e. it may be related to the nucleotide(s) between the 5′ and the 3′terminal nucleotide, respectively. Moreover, truncation shall comprisethe deletion of as little as a single nucleotide from the sequence ofthe nucleic acids disclosed herein. Truncation may also be related tomore than one stretch of the inventive nucleic acid(s), whereby thestretch can be as little as one nucleotide long. The binding of anucleic acid according to the present invention can be determined by theones skilled in the art using routine experiments or by using oradopting a method as described herein, preferably as described herein inthe example part.

The nucleic acids according to the present invention may be eitherD-nucleic acids or L-nucleic acids. Preferably, the inventive nucleicacids are L-nucleic acids. In addition, it is possible that one orseveral parts of the nucleic acid are present as D-nucleic acids or atleast one or several parts of the nucleic acids are L-nucleic acids. Theterm “part” of the nucleic acids shall mean as little as one nucleotide.Such nucleic acids are generally referred to herein as D- and L-nucleicacids, respectively. Therefore, in a particularly preferred embodiment,the nucleic acids according to the present invention consist ofL-nucleotides and comprise at least one D-nucleotide. Such aD-nucleotide is preferably attached to a part different from thestretches defining the nucleic acids according to the present invention,preferably those parts thereof, where an interaction with other parts ofthe nucleic acid is involved. Preferably, such D-nucleotide is attachedat a terminus of any of the stretches and of any nucleic acid accordingto the present invention, respectively. In a further preferredembodiment, such D-nucleotides may act as a spacer or a linker,preferably attaching modifications such as PEG and HES to the nucleicacids according to the present invention.

It is also within the present invention that each and any of the nucleicacid molecules described herein in their entirety in terms of theirnucleic acid sequence(s) are limited to the particular nucleotidesequence(s). In other words, the terms “comprising” or “comprise(s)”shall be interpreted in such embodiment in the meaning of containing orconsisting of.

It is also within the present invention that the nucleic acids accordingto the present invention are part of a longer nucleic acid whereby thislonger nucleic acid comprises several parts whereby at least one suchpart is a nucleic acid, or a part thereof, according to the presentinvention. The other part(s) of these longer nucleic acids can be eitherone or several D-nucleic acid(s) or L-nucleic acid(s). Any combinationmay be used in connection with the present invention. These otherpart(s) of the longer nucleic acid can exhibit a function which isdifferent from binding, preferably from binding to SDF-1. One possiblefunction is to allow interaction with other molecules, whereby suchother molecules preferably are different from SDF-1, such as, e.g., forimmobilization, cross-linking, detection or amplification. In a furtherembodiment of the present invention, the nucleic acids according to theinvention comprise, as individual or combined moieties, several of thenucleic acids of the present invention. Such nucleic acid comprisingseveral of the nucleic acids of the present invention is alsoencompassed by the term longer nucleic acid.

L-nucleic acids as used herein are nucleic acids consisting ofL-nucleotides, preferably consisting completely of L-nucleotides.

D-nucleic acids as used herein are nucleic acids consisting ofD-nucleotides, preferably consisting completely of D-nucleotides.

The terms nucleic acid and nucleic acid molecule are used herein in aninterchangeable manner if not explicitly indicated to the contrary.

Also, if not indicated to the contrary, any nucleotide sequence is setforth herein in 5′→3′ direction.

Irrespective of whether the inventive nucleic acid consists ofD-nucleotides, L-nucleotides or a combination of both with thecombination being e.g. a random combination or a defined sequence ofstretches consisting of at least one L-nucleotide and at least oneD-nucleic acid, the nucleic acid may consist of desoxyribonucleotide(s),ribonucleotide(s) or combinations thereof.

Designing the inventive nucleic acids as L-nucleic acid is advantageousfor several reasons. L-nucleic acids are enantiomers of naturallyoccurring nucleic acids. D-nucleic acids, however, are not very stablein aqueous solutions and particularly in biological systems orbiological samples due to the widespread presence of nucleases.Naturally occurring nucleases, particularly nucleases from animal cellsare not capable of degrading L-nucleic acids. Because of this, thebiological half-life of the L-nucleic acid is significantly increased insuch a system, including the animal and human body. Due to the lackingdegradability of L-nucleic acid no nuclease degradation products aregenerated and thus no side effects arising therefrom are observed. Thisaspect delimits the L-nucleic acid from factually all other compoundswhich are used in the therapy of diseases and/or disorders involving thepresence of SDF-1. L-nucleic acids which specifically bind to a targetmolecule through a mechanism different from Watson Crick base pairing,or aptamers which consists partially or completely of L-nucleotides,particularly with those parts of the aptamer being involved in thebinding of the aptamer to the target molecule, are also calledspiegelmers.

It is within the present invention that the first and the second stretchof nucleotides flanking the core nucleotide sequence can, in principle,hybridise with each other. Upon such hybridisation a double-strandedstructure is formed. It will be acknowledged by the one skilled in theart that such hybridisation may or may not occur, particularly under invitro and/or in vivo conditions. Also, in case of such hybridisation, itis not necessarily the case that the hybridisation occurs over theentire length of the two stretches where, at least based on the rulesfor base pairing, such hybridisation and thus formation of adouble-stranded structure may occur. As preferably used herein, adouble-stranded structure is a part of a molecule or a structure formedby two or more separate strands, whereby at least one, preferably two ormore base pairs exist which are base paired preferably in accordancewith the Watson-Crick base pairing rules. It will also be acknowledgedby the one skilled in the art that other base pairing such as Hoogstenbase pairing may exist in or form such double-stranded structure.

It is also within the present invention that the inventive nucleicacids, regardless whether they are present as D-nucleic acids, L-nucleicacids or D,L-nucleic acids or whether they are DNA or RNA, may bepresent as single-stranded or double-stranded nucleic acids. Typically,the inventive nucleic acids are single-stranded nucleic acids thatexhibit defined secondary structures due to the primary sequence and maythus also form tertiary structures. The inventive nucleic acids,however, may also be double-stranded in the meaning that two strandswhich are complementary or partially complementary to each other arehybridised to each other. This confers stability to the nucleic acidwhich, in particular, will be advantageous if the nucleic acid ispresent in the naturally occurring D-form rather than the L-form.

The inventive nucleic acids may be modified. Such modifications may berelated to the single nucleotide of the nucleic acid and are well knownin the art. Examples for such modification are described by, amongothers, Venkatesan et al. (Venkatesan, Kim et al. 2003) and Kusser(Kusser 2000). Such modification can be an H atom, an F atom or an O—CH₃group or NH₂-group at the 2′ position of the individual nucleotide ofwhich the nucleic acid consists. Also, the nucleic acid according to thepresent invention can comprise at least one LNA nucleotide. In anembodiment, the nucleic acid according to the present invention consistsof LNA nucleotides.

In an embodiment, the nucleic acids according to the present inventionmay be a multipartite nucleic acid. A multipartite nucleic acid as usedherein, is a nucleic acid which consists of at least two nucleic acidstrands. These at least two nucleic acid strands form a functional unitwhereby the functional unit is a ligand to a target molecule. The atleast two nucleic acid strands may be derived from any of the inventivenucleic acids by either cleaving the nucleic acid to generate twostrands or by synthesising one nucleic acid corresponding to a firstpart of the inventive, i.e. overall nucleic acid, and another nucleicacid corresponding to the second part of the overall nucleic acid. It isto be acknowledged that both the cleavage and the synthesis may beapplied to generate a multipartite nucleic acid where there are morethan two strands as exemplified above. In other words, the at least twonucleic acid strands are typically different from two strands beingcomplementary and hybridising to each other, although a certain extentof complementarity between the various nucleic acid parts may exist.

Finally, it is also within the present invention that a fully closed,i.e. circular structure for the nucleic acids according to the presentinvention is realized, i.e. that the nucleic acids according to thepresent invention are closed, preferably through a covalent linkage,whereby more preferably such covalent linkage is made between the 5′ endand the 3′ end of the nucleic acid sequences as disclosed herein.

The present inventors have discovered that the nucleic acids accordingto the present invention exhibit a very favourable Kd value range.

A way to determine the binding constant is surface plasmon resonancemeasurement by the use of the so-called Biacore device (Biacore AB,Uppsala, Sweden), which is also known to the one skilled in the art.Affinity, as preferably used herein, was also measured by the use of“pull-down binding assay” as described in the examples. An appropriatemeasure in order to express the intensity of the binding between thenucleic acid and the target which is in the present case SDF-1, is theso-called Kd value which as such as well as the method for itsdetermination are known to the one skilled in the art.

The nucleic acids according to the present invention are characterizedby a certain Kd value. Preferably, the Kd value shown by the nucleicacids according to the present invention is below 1 μM. A Kd value ofabout 1 μM is said to be characteristic for a non-specific binding of anucleic acid to a target. As will be acknowledged by the ones in theart, the Kd value of a group of compounds such as the nucleic acidsaccording to the present invention are within a certain range. Theabove-mentioned Kd of about 1 μM is a preferred upper limit for the Kdvalue. The preferred lower limit for the Kd of target binding nucleicacids can be about 10 picomolar or higher. It is within the presentinvention that the Kd values of individual nucleic acids binding toSDF-1 are preferably within this range. Preferred ranges can be definedby choosing any first number within this range and any second numberwithin this range. Preferred upper values are 250 nM and 100 nM, andpreferred lower values are 50 nM, 10 nM, 1 nM, 100 pM and 10 pM.

The nucleic acid molecules according to the present invention may haveany length provided that they are still able to bind to the targetmolecule. It will be acknowledged in the art that there are preferredlengths of the nucleic acids according to the present inventions.Typically, the length is between 15 and 120 nucleotides. It will beacknowledged by the ones skilled in the art that any integer between 15and 120 is a possible length for the nucleic acids according to thepresent invention. More preferred ranges for the length of the nucleicacids according to the present invention are lengths of about 20 to 100nucleotides, about 20 to 80 nucleotides, about 20 to 60 nucleotides,about 20 to 50 nucleotides and about 20 to 40 nucleotides.

It is within the present invention that the nucleic acids disclosedherein comprise a moiety which preferably is a high molecular weightmoiety and/or which preferably allows to modify the characteristics ofthe nucleic acid in terms of, among others, residence time in the animalbody, preferably the human body. A particularly preferred embodiment ofsuch modification is PEGylation and HESylation of the nucleic acidsaccording to the present invention. As used herein PEG stands forpoly(ethylene glycole) and HES for hydroxyethyl starch. PEGylation aspreferably used herein is the modification of a nucleic acid accordingto the present invention whereby such modification consists of a PEGmoiety which is attached to a nucleic acid according to the presentinvention. HESylation as preferably used herein is the modification of anucleic acid according to the present invention whereby suchmodification consists of a HES moiety which is attached to a nucleicacid according to the present invention. These modifications as well asthe process of modifying a nucleic acid using such modifications, isdescribed in European patent application EP 1 306 382, the disclosure ofwhich is herewith incorporated in its entirety by reference.

Preferably, the molecular weight of a modification consisting of orcomprising a high molecular weight moiety is about from 2,000 to 200,000Da, preferably 40,000 to 120,000 Da, particularly in the case of PEGbeing such high molecular weight moiety, and is preferably about from3,000 to 180,000 Da, more preferably from 60,000 to 140,000 Da,particularly in the case of HES being such high molecular weight moiety.The process of HES modification is, e.g., described in German patentapplication DE 1 2004 006 249.8 the disclosure of which is herewithincorporated in its entirety by reference.

It is within the present invention that either of PEG and HES may beused as either a linear or branched from as further described in thepatent applications, WO2005074993 and PCT/EP02/11950. Such modificationcan, in principle, be made to the nucleic acid molecules of the presentinvention at any position thereof. Preferably such modification is madeeither to the 5′-terminal nucleotide, the 3′-terminal nucleotide and/orany nucleotide between the 5′ nucleotide and the 3′ nucleotide of thenucleic acid molecule.

The modification, and preferably the PEG and/or HES moiety, can beattached to the nucleic acid molecule of the present invention eitherdirectly or through a linker. It is also within the present inventionthat the nucleic acid molecule according to the present inventioncomprises one or more modifications, preferably one or more PEG and/orHES moiety. In an embodiment, the individual linker molecule attachesmore than one PEG moiety or HES moiety to a nucleic acid moleculeaccording to the present invention. The linker used in connection withthe present invention can itself be either linear or branched. This kindof linkers is known to the ones skilled in the art, and is furtherdescribed in the patent applications, WO2005074993 and PCT/EP02/11950.

Without wishing to be bound by any theory, it seems that by modifyingthe nucleic acids according to the present invention with a highmolecular weight moiety such as a polymer and more particularly thepolymers disclosed herein, which are preferably physiologicallyacceptable, the excretion kinetic is changed. More particularly, itseems that due to the increased molecular weight of such modifiedinventive nucleic acids and due to the nucleic acids not being subjectto metabolism particularly when in the L form, excretion from an animalbody, preferably from a mammalian body, and more preferably from a humanbody, is decreased. As excretion typically occurs via the kidneys, thepresent inventors assume that the glomerular filtration rate of the thusmodified nucleic acid is significantly reduced compared to the nucleicacids not having this kind of high molecular weight modification, whichresults in an increase in the residence time in the body. In connectiontherewith, it is particularly noteworthy that despite such highmolecular weight modification, the specificity of the nucleic acidaccording to the present invention is not affected in a detrimentalmanner. Insofar the nucleic acids according to the present inventionhave surprising characteristics—which normally cannot be expected frompharmaceutically active compounds—a pharmaceutical formulation providingfor a sustained release is not necessarily required to provide for asustained release. Rather, the nucleic acids according to the presentinvention in their modified form comprising a high molecular weightmoiety, can as such already be used as a sustained release formulation.Also, the modification(s) of the nucleic acid molecules as disclosedherein, and the thus the modified nucleic acid molecules and anycomposition comprising the same, provide for a distinct, preferablycontrolled pharmacokinetics and biodistribution. This also includesresidence time in circulation and distribution to tissues. Suchmodifications are further described in the patent applicationPCT/EP02/11950.

However, it is also within the present invention that the nucleic acidsdisclosed herein do not comprise any modification and particularly nohigh molecular weight modification, such as PEGylation or HESylation.Such embodiment is particularly preferred when fast clearance of thenucleic acids from the body after administration is desired. Such fastclearance might be desired in case of in vivo imaging or specifictherapeutic dosing requirements using the nucleic acids or medicamentscomprising the same, according to the present invention.

The inventive nucleic acids, which are also referred to herein as thenucleic acids according to the present invention, and/or the antagonistsaccording to the present invention may be used for the generation ormanufacture of a medicament. Such medicament contains at least one ofthe inventive nucleic acids, optionally together with furtherpharmaceutically active compounds, whereby the inventive nucleic acidpreferably acts as the pharmaceutically active compound itself. Suchmedicaments comprise in preferred embodiments at least apharmaceutically acceptable carrier. Such carrier may be, e. g., water,buffer, PBS, glucose solution, sucrose solution, mannose solution,preferably a 5% sucrose balanced solution, starch, sugar, gelatin or anyother acceptable carrier substance. Such carriers are generally known tothe one skilled in the art. It will be acknowledged by the personskilled in the art that any embodiments, use and aspects of or relatedto the medicament of the present invention is also applicable to thepharmaceutical composition of the present invention and vice versa.

The indication, diseases and disorders for the treatment and/orprevention of which the nucleic acids, the pharmaceutical compositionsand medicaments in accordance with or prepared in accordance with thepresent invention, result from the involvement, either direct orindirect, of SDF-1 in the respective pathogenic mechanism.

Of course, because the SDF-1 binding nucleic acids according to thepresent invention interact with or bind to human or murine SDF-1, askilled person will generally understand that the SDF-1 binding nucleicacids according to the present invention can easily be used for thetreatment, prevention and/or diagnosis of any disease as describedherein of humans and animals.

Disease and/or disorders and/or diseased conditions for the treatmentand/or prevention of which such medicament may be used include, but arenot limited to back-of-the-eye diseases like retinopathy, diabeticretinopathy and age-related macular degeneration, both dry and wet form;cancer; cancer of breast, ovaries, prostate, pancreas, thyroid,nasopharynx, colon, lung, and stomach; osteosarcoma; melanoma; glioma;medullo- and neuroblastoma; leukemia; B cell chronic lymphocyticleukaemia; multiple myeloma; lymphoma; WHIM syndrome; immunologicdeficiency syndromes; pathologic neovascularization; inflammation;multiple sclerosis; arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis andnephritis.

In a further embodiment, the medicament comprises a furtherpharmaceutically active agent. Such further pharmaceutically activecompounds can be those known to the ones skilled in the art and arepreferably selected from the group comprising chemokine or cytokineantagonists, corticosteroids, and the like. It will be understood by theone skilled in the art that given the various indications which can beaddressed in accordance with the present invention by the nucleic acidsaccording to the present invention, said further pharmaceutically activeagent(s) may be any one which in principle is suitable for the treatmentand/or prevention of such diseases. The nucleic acid molecules accordingto the present invention, particularly if present or used as amedicament, are preferably combined with VEGF-inhibitors such as Macugen(Pegatanib) from Pfizer Ophthalmics, Lucentis (Ranitizumab) fromNovartis Ophthalmics, Avastin (Bevacizumab) from Roche (off-label use);or with photodynamic therapy such as Visudyne (Verteporfing) fromNovartis Ophthalmics and intravitreally injectable cortisone derivativesuch as Retaane (Anecortave acetate) from Alcon Inc.

Alternatively, or additionally, such further pharmaceutically activeagent is a further nucleic acid according to the present invention.Alternatively, the medicament comprises at least one more nucleic acidwhich binds to a target molecule different from SDF-1 or exhibits afunction which is different from the one of the nucleic acids accordingto the present invention.

As will be acknowledged by the ones of the art, the inventive nucleicacids may factually be used in any disease where an antagonist to SDF-1can be administered to a patient in need of such antagonist and suchantagonist is suitable to eliminate the cause of the disease or thedisorder or at least to reduce the effects from the disease or thedisorder. Such effect includes, but is not limited to pathologicneovascularization, inflammation and metastasis. The applicability ofthe nucleic acids according to the present invention in connection withthese and other diseases or disorders results, among others, from theinvolvement of SDF-1 as outlined in the introductory part of the presentspecification which is incorporated herein by reference so as to avoidany unnecessary repetition.

It is within the present invention that the medicament is alternativelyor additionally used, in principle, for the prevention of any of thediseases disclosed in connection with the use of the medicament for thetreatment of said diseases. Respective markers therefore, i.e. for therespective diseases, are known to the ones skilled in the art.Preferably, the respective marker is SDF-1. Alternatively and/oradditionally, the respective marker is selected from the group ofoxidative stress markers, comprising transmembrane reductase offerricyanide (TMR), increased activity of the sorbitol pathway whichincludes after accumulation of sorbitol, increased cytosolic NADH/NADratio, depletion of NADPH and accumulation of fructose with theresulting non-enzymatic production of advanced glycation end products(AGES) and consequent activation of protein kinase C, nitrosative andoxidative stress-mediated downstream events such as MAP kinaseactivation; inflammatory markers, comprising ICAM-1, VCAM-1, RANTES,haptoglobin, or C-reactive protein; and pro-angiogenic markers likeerythropoietin or VEGF. In view of this, said markers can be used todetermine whether or not a subject or a patient can be treated with anyof the nucleic acid molecules in accordance with the present invention.Therefore, in a further aspect, the present invention is related to suchmethod, whereby the presence or absence and more specifically theconcentration of the respective marker(s) is/are determined. Methods forthe detection of said markers and optionally their quantification, aswell as the range within which the respective marker shall be present orabsent so as to decide whether or not the subject or patient issuffering from any of said diseases or is a risk to develop suchdiseases, and, accordingly, may thus be treated in accordance with thepresent invention, are known to the ones skilled in the art.

In one embodiment of the medicament of the present invention, suchmedicament is for use in combination with other treatments for any ofthe diseases disclosed herein, particularly those for which themedicament of the present invention is to be used.

“Combination therapy” (or “co-therapy”) includes the administration of amedicament of the invention and at least a second agent as part of aspecific treatment regimen intended to provide the beneficial effectfrom the co-action of these therapeutic agents, i.e. the medicament ofthe present invention and said second agent. The beneficial effect ofthe combination includes, but is not limited to, pharmacokinetic orpharmacodynamic co-action resulting from the combination of therapeuticagents. Administration of these therapeutic agents in combinationtypically is carried out over a defined time period (usually minutes,hours, days or weeks depending upon the combination selected).

“Combination therapy” may, but generally is not, intended to encompassthe administration of two or more of these therapeutic agents as part ofseparate monotherapy regimens that incidentally and arbitrarily resultin the combinations of the present invention. “Combination therapy” isintended to embrace administration of these therapeutic agents in asequential manner, that is, wherein each therapeutic agent isadministered at a different time, as well as administration of thesetherapeutic agents, or at least two of the therapeutic agents, in asubstantially simultaneous manner. Substantially simultaneousadministration can be accomplished, for example, by administering to asubject a single capsule having a fixed ratio of each therapeutic agentor in multiple, single capsules for each of the therapeutic agents.

Sequential or substantially simultaneous administration of eachtherapeutic agent can be effected by any appropriate route including,but not limited to, topical routes, oral routes, intravenous routes,intramuscular routes, and direct absorption through mucous membranetissues. The therapeutic agents can be administered by the same route orby different routes. For example, a first therapeutic agent of thecombination selected may be administered by injection while the othertherapeutic agents of the combination may be administered topically.

Alternatively, for example, all therapeutic agents may be administeredtopically or all therapeutic agents may be administered by injection.The sequence in which the therapeutic agents are administered is notnarrowly critical unless noted otherwise. “Combination therapy” also canembrace the administration of the therapeutic agents as described abovein further combination with other biologically active ingredients. Wherethe combination therapy further comprises a non-drug treatment, thenon-drug treatment may be conducted at any suitable time so long as abeneficial effect from the co-action of the combination of thetherapeutic agents and non-drug treatment is achieved. For example, inappropriate cases, the beneficial effect is still achieved when thenon-drug treatment is temporally removed from the administration of thetherapeutic agents, perhaps by days or even weeks.

As outlined in general terms above, the medicament according to thepresent invention can be administered, in principle, in any form knownto the ones skilled in the art. A preferred route of administration issystemic administration, more preferably by parenteral administration,preferably by injection. Alternatively, the medicament may beadministered locally. Other routes of administration compriseintramuscular, intraperitoneal, and subcutaneous, per orum, intranasal,intratracheal or pulmonary with preference given to the route ofadministration that is the least invasive, while ensuring efficacy.

Parenteral administration is generally used for subcutaneous,intramuscular or intravenous injections and infusions. Additionally, oneapproach for parenteral administration employs the implantation of aslow-release or sustained-released systems, which assures that aconstant level of dosage is maintained, that are well known to the oneof ordinary skill in the art.

Furthermore, preferred medicaments of the present invention can beadministered in intranasal form via topical use of suitable intranasalvehicles, inhalants, or via transdermal routes, using those forms oftransdermal skin patches well known to those of ordinary skill in thatart. To be administered in the form of a transdermal delivery system,the dosage administration will, of course, be continuous rather thanintermittent throughout the dosage regimen. Other preferred topicalpreparations include creams, ointments, lotions, aerosol sprays andgels, wherein the concentration of active ingredient would typicallyrange from 0.01% to 15%, w/w or w/v.

The medicament of the present invention will generally comprise aneffective amount of the active component(s) of the therapy, including,but not limited to, a nucleic acid molecule of the present invention,dissolved or dispersed in a pharmaceutically acceptable medium.Pharmaceutically acceptable media or carriers include any and allsolvents, dispersion media, coatings, antibacterial and antifungalagents, isotonic and absorption delaying agents and the like. The use ofsuch media and agents for pharmaceutical active substances is well knownin the art. Supplementary active ingredients can also be incorporatedinto the medicament of the present invention.

In a further aspect the present invention is related to a pharmaceuticalcomposition. Such pharmaceutical composition comprises at least one ofthe nucleic acids according to the present invention and preferably apharmaceutically acceptable binder. Such binder can be any binder usedand/or known in the art. More particularly such binder is any binder asdiscussed in connection with the manufacture of the medicament disclosedherein. In a further embodiment, the pharmaceutical compositioncomprises a further pharmaceutically active agent.

The preparation of a medicament and a pharmaceutical composition will beknown to those of skill in the art in light of the present disclosure.Typically, such compositions may be prepared as injectables, either asliquid solutions or suspensions; solid forms suitable for solution in,or suspension in, liquid prior to injection; as tablets or other solidsfor oral administration; as time release capsules; or in any other formcurrently used, including eye drops, creams, lotions, salves, inhalantsand the like. The use of sterile formulations, such as saline-basedwashes, by surgeons, physicians or health care workers to treat aparticular area in the operating field may also be particularly useful.Compositions may also be delivered via microdevice, microparticle orsponge.

Upon formulation, a medicament will be administered in a mannercompatible with the dosage formulation, and in such amount as ispharmacologically effective. The formulations are easily administered ina variety of dosage forms, such as the type of injectable solutionsdescribed above, but drug release capsules and the like can also beemployed.

In this context, the quantity of active ingredient and volume ofcomposition to be administered depends on the individual or the subjectto be treated. Specific amounts of active compound required foradministration depend on the judgment of the practitioner and arepeculiar to each individual.

A minimal volume of a medicament required to disperse the activecompounds is typically utilized. Suitable regimes for administration arealso variable, but would be typified by initially administering thecompound and monitoring the results and then giving further controlleddoses at further intervals.

For instance, for oral administration in the form of a tablet or capsule(e.g., a gelatin capsule), the active drug component, i.e. a nucleicacid molecule of the present invention and/or any furtherpharmaceutically active agent, also referred to herein as therapeuticagent(s) or active compound(s) can be combined with an oral, non-toxic,pharmaceutically acceptable inert carrier such as ethanol, glycerol,water and the like. Moreover, when desired or necessary, suitablebinders, lubricants, disintegrating agents, and colouring agents canalso be incorporated into the mixture. Suitable binders include starch,magnesium aluminum silicate, starch paste, gelatin, methylcellulose,sodium carboxymethylcellulose and/or polyvinylpyrrolidone, naturalsugars such as glucose or β-lactose, corn sweeteners, natural andsynthetic gums such as acacia, tragacanth or sodium alginate,polyethylene glycol, waxes, and the like. Lubricants used in thesedosage forms include sodium oleate, sodium stearate, magnesium stearate,sodium benzoate, sodium acetate, sodium chloride, silica, talcum,stearic acid, its magnesium or calcium salt and/or polyethyleneglycol,and the like. Disintegrators include, without limitation, starch, methylcellulose, agar, bentonite, xanthan gum starches, agar, alginic acid orits sodium salt, or effervescent mixtures, and the like. Diluents,include, e.g., lactose, dextrose, sucrose, mannitol, sorbitol, celluloseand/or glycine.

The medicament of the invention can also be administered in such oraldosage forms as timed release and sustained release tablets or capsules,pills, powders, granules, elixirs, tinctures, suspensions, syrups andemulsions. Suppositories are advantageously prepared from fattyemulsions or suspensions.

The pharmaceutical composition or medicament may be sterilized and/orcontain adjuvants, such as preserving, stabilizing, wetting oremulsifying agents, solution promoters, salts for regulating the osmoticpressure and/or buffers. In addition, they may also contain othertherapeutically valuable substances. The compositions are preparedaccording to conventional mixing, granulating, or coating methods, andtypically contain about 0.1% to 75%, preferably about 1% to 50%, of theactive ingredient.

Liquid, particularly injectable compositions can, for example, beprepared by dissolving, dispersing, etc. The active compound isdissolved in or mixed with a pharmaceutically pure solvent such as, forexample, water, saline, aqueous dextrose, glycerol, ethanol, and thelike, to thereby form the injectable solution or suspension.Additionally, solid forms suitable for dissolving in liquid prior toinjection can be formulated.

For solid compositions, excipients include pharmaceutical grades ofmannitol, lactose, starch, magnesium stearate, sodium saccharin, talcum,cellulose, glucose, sucrose, magnesium carbonate, and the like. Theactive compound defined above, may be also formulated as suppositories,using for example, polyalkylene glycols, for example, propylene glycol,as the carrier. In some embodiments, suppositories are advantageouslyprepared from fatty emulsions or suspensions.

The medicaments and nucleic acid molecules, respectively, of the presentinvention can also be administered in the form of liposome deliverysystems, such as small unilamellar vesicles, large unilamellar vesiclesand multilamellar vesicles. Liposomes can be formed from a variety ofphospholipids, containing cholesterol, stearylamine orphosphatidylcholines. In some embodiments, a film of lipid components ishydrated with an aqueous solution of drug to a form lipid layerencapsulating the drug, what is well known to the ordinary skill in theart. For example, the nucleic acid molecules described herein can beprovided as a complex with a lipophilic compound or non-immunogenic,high molecular weight compound constructed using methods known in theart. Additionally, liposomes may bear such nucleic acid molecules ontheir surface for targeting and carrying cytotoxic agents internally tomediate cell killing. An example of nucleic acid-associated complexes isprovided in U.S. Pat. No. 6,011,020.

The medicaments and nucleic acid molecules, respectively, of the presentinvention may also be coupled with soluble polymers as targetable drugcarriers. Such polymers can include polyvinylpyrrolidone, pyrancopolymer, polyhydroxypropyl-methacrylamide-phenol,polyhydroxyethylaspanamidephenol, or polyethyleneoxidepolylysinesubstituted with palmitoyl residues. Furthermore, the medicaments andnucleic acid molecules, respectively, of the present invention may becoupled to a class of biodegradable polymers useful in achievingcontrolled release of a drug, for example, polylactic acid, polyepsiloncapro lactone, polyhydroxy butyric acid, polyorthoesters, polyacetals,polydihydropyrans, polycyanoacrylates and cross-linked or amphipathicblock copolymers of hydrogels.

If desired, the pharmaceutical composition and medicament, respectively,to be administered may also contain minor amounts of non-toxic auxiliarysubstances such as wetting or emulsifying agents, pH buffering agents,and other substances such as, for example, sodium acetate, andtriethanolamine oleate.

The dosage regimen utilizing the nucleic acid molecules and medicaments,respectively, of the present invention is selected in accordance with avariety of factors including type, species, age, weight, sex and medicalcondition of the patient; the severity of the condition to be treated;the route of administration; the renal and hepatic function of thepatient; and the particular nucleic acid or salt thereof employed. Anordinarily skilled physician or veterinarian can readily determine andprescribe the effective amount of the drug required to prevent, counteror arrest the progress of the condition.

Effective plasma levels of the nucleic acid according to the presentinvention preferably range from 500 fM to 500 μM in the treatment of anyof the diseases disclosed herein.

The nucleic acid molecules and medicaments, respectively, of the presentinvention may preferably be administered in a single daily dose, everysecond or third day, weekly, every second week, in a single monthly doseor every third month.

It is within the present invention that the medicament as describedherein constitutes the pharmaceutical composition disclosed herein.

In a further aspect the present invention is related to a method for thetreatment of a subject who is in need of such treatment, whereby themethod comprises the administration of a pharmaceutically active amountof at least one of the nucleic acids according to the present invention.In an embodiment, the subject suffers from a disease or is in risk todevelop such disease, whereby the disease is any of those disclosedherein, particularly any of those diseases disclosed in connection withthe use of any of the nucleic acids according to the present inventionfor the manufacture of a medicament.

As preferably used herein a diagnostic or diagnostic agent or diagnosticmeans is suitable to detect, either directly or indirectly SDF-1 asdescribed herein in connection with the various disorders and diseasesdescribed herein. The diagnostic is suitable for the detection and/orfollow-up of any of the disorders and diseases, respectively, describedherein. Such detection is possible through the binding of the nucleicacids according to the present invention to SDF-1. Such binding can beeither directly or indirectly be detected. The respective methods andmeans are known to the ones skilled in the art. Among others, thenucleic acids according to the present invention may comprise a labelwhich allows the detection of the nucleic acids according to the presentinvention, preferably the nucleic acid bound to SDF-1. Such a label ispreferably selected from the group comprising radioactive, enzymatic andfluorescent labels. In principle, all known assays developed forantibodies can be adopted for the nucleic acids according to the presentinvention whereas the target-binding antibody is substituted with atarget-binding nucleic acid. In antibody assays using unlabeledtarget-binding antibodies, the detection is preferably done by asecondary antibody which is modified with radioactive, enzymatic andfluorescent labels and binds to the target-binding antibody at its F_(c)fragment. In the case of a nucleic acid, preferably a nucleic acidaccording to the present invention, the nucleic acid is modified withsuch a label, whereby preferably such a label is selected from the groupcomprising biotin, Cy-3 and Cy-5, and such label is detected by anantibody directed against such label, e.g. an anti-biotin antibody, ananti-Cy3 antibody or an anti-Cy5 antibody, or—in the case that the labelis biotin—the label is detected by streptavidin or avidin whichnaturally bind to biotin. Such antibody, streptavidin or avidin in turnis preferably modified with a respective label, e.g. a radioactive,enzymatic or fluorescent label (like a secondary antibody).

In a further embodiment, the nucleic acid molecules according to theinvention are detected or analysed by a second detection means, whereinthe said detection means is a molecular beacon. The methodology ofmolecular beacon is known to persons skilled in the art. In brief,nucleic acids probes which are also referred to as molecular beacons,are a reverse complement to the nucleic acid sample to be detected andhybridise because of this to a part of the nucleic acid sample to bedetected. Upon binding to the nucleic acid sample, the fluorophoricgroups of the molecular beacon are separated which results in a changeof the fluorescence signal, preferably a change in intensity. Thischange correlates with the amount of nucleic acid sample present.

It will be understood by the one skilled in the art that due to therelationship outlined herein between SDF-1 and its correspondingreceptor, the diseases and conditions which can be diagnosed using thenucleic acid molecules of the present invention, are, in principle, thevery same as described herein in connection with the use of said nucleicacid molecules for the treatment and/or prevention of said disease.

Apart from that, further uses of the nucleic acid molecules according tothe present invention reside in a decrease in hematopoiesis, a decreasein invasion or metastasis, a decrease in B cell development andchemotaxis, a decrease in T cell chemoattraction and an induction ofgrowth arrest and apoptosis.

In connection with the detection of SDF-1, a preferred method comprisesthe following steps:

(a) providing a sample which is to be tested for the presence of SDF-1,

(b) providing a nucleic acid according to the present invention, and

(c) reacting the sample with the nucleic acid, preferably in a reactionvessel,

wherein step (a) can be performed prior to step (b), or step (b) can bepreformed prior to step (a).

In a preferred embodiment a further step d) is provided, which consistsin the detection of the reaction of the sample with the nucleic acid.Preferably, the nucleic acid of step b) is immobilised to a surface. Thesurface may be the surface of a reaction vessel such as a reaction tube,a well of a plate, or the surface of a device contained in such reactionvessel such as, for example, a bead. The immobilisation of the nucleicacid to the surface can be made by any means known to the ones skilledin the art including, but not limited to, non-covalent or covalentlinkages. Preferably, the linkage is established via a covalent chemicalbond between the surface and the nucleic acid. However, it is alsowithin the present invention that the nucleic acid is indirectlyimmobilised to a surface, whereby such indirect immobilisation involvesthe use of a further component or a pair of interaction partners. Suchfurther component is preferably a compound which specifically interactswith the nucleic acid to be immobilised which is also referred to asinteraction partner, and thus mediates the attachment of the nucleicacid to the surface. The interaction partner is preferably selected fromthe group comprising nucleic acids, polypeptides, proteins andantibodies. Preferably, the interaction partner is an antibody, morepreferably a monoclonal antibody. Alternatively, the interaction partneris a nucleic acid, preferably a functional nucleic acid. More preferablysuch functional nucleic acid is selected from the group comprisingaptamers, spiegelmers, and nucleic acids which are at least partiallycomplementary to the nucleic acid. In a further alternative embodiment,the binding of the nucleic acid to the surface is mediated by amulti-partite interaction partner. Such multi-partite interactionpartner is preferably a pair of interaction partners or an interactionpartner consisting of a first member and a second member, whereby thefirst member is comprised by or attached to the nucleic acid and thesecond member is attached to or comprised by the surface. Themulti-partite interaction partner is preferably selected from the groupof pairs of interaction partners comprising biotin and avidin, biotinand streptavidin, and biotin and neutravidin. Preferably, the firstmember of the pair of interaction partners is biotin.

A preferred result of such method is the formation of an immobilisedcomplex of SDF-1 and the nucleic acid, whereby more preferably saidcomplex is detected. It is within an embodiment that from the complexthe SDF-1 is detected.

The method for the detection of SDF-1 also comprises that the sample isremoved from the reaction vessel that has preferably been used toperform step c).

The method comprises in a further embodiment also the step ofimmobilising an interaction partner of SDF-1 on a surface, preferably asurface as defined above, whereby the interaction partner is defined asherein and preferably as above in connection with the respective methodand more preferably comprises nucleic acids, polypeptides, proteins andantibodies in their various embodiments. In this embodiment, aparticularly preferred detection means is a nucleic acid according tothe present invention, whereby such nucleic acid may preferably belabelled or non-labelled. In case such nucleic acid is labelled, it canbe directly or indirectly detected. Such detection may also involve theuse of a second detection means that is, preferably, also selected fromthe group comprising nucleic acids, polypeptides, proteins andembodiments in the various embodiments described herein. Such detectionmeans are preferably specific for the nucleic acid according to thepresent invention. In a more preferred embodiment, the second detectionmeans is a molecular beacon. Either the nucleic acid or the seconddetection means or both may comprise in a preferred embodiment adetection label. The detection label is preferably selected from thegroup comprising biotin, a bromo-desoxyuridine label, a digoxigeninlabel, a fluorescence label, a UV label, a radiolabel, and a chelatormolecule. Alternatively, the second detection means interacts with thedetection label which is preferably contained by, comprised by orattached to the nucleic acid. Particularly preferred combinations are asfollows:

the detection label is biotin and the second detection means is anantibody directed against biotin, or wherein

the detection label is biotin and the second detection means is anavidin or an avidin carrying molecule, or wherein

the detection label is biotin and the second detection means is astreptavidin or a streptavidin carrying molecule, or wherein

the detection label is biotin and the second detection means is aneutravidin or a neutravidin carrying molecule, or

wherein the detection label is a bromo-desoxyuridine and the seconddetection means is an antibody directed against bromo-desoxyuridine, orwherein

the detection label is a digoxigenin and the second detection means isan antibody directed against digoxigenin, or

wherein the detection label is a chelator and the second detection meansis a radionuclide, whereby it is preferred that said detection label isattached to the nucleic acid. It is to be acknowledged that this kind ofcombination is also applicable to the embodiment where the nucleic acidis attached to the surface. In such embodiment, it is preferred that thedetection label is attached to the interaction partner.

Finally, it is also within the present invention that the seconddetection means is detected using a third detection means, preferablythe third detection means is an enzyme, more preferably showing anenzymatic reaction upon detection of the second detection means, or thethird detection means is a means for detecting radiation, morepreferably radiation emitted by a radio-nuclide. Preferably, the thirddetection means is specifically detecting and/or interacting with thesecond detection means.

Also in the embodiment with an interaction partner of SDF-1 beingimmobilised on a surface and the nucleic acid according to the presentinvention is preferably added to the complex formed between theinteraction partner and the SDF-1, the sample can be removed from thereaction, more preferably from the reaction vessel where step c) and/ord) are preformed.

In an embodiment, the nucleic acid according to the present inventioncomprises a fluorescence moiety and whereby the fluorescence of thefluorescence moiety is different upon complex formation between thenucleic acid and SDF-1 and free SDF-1.

In a further embodiment, the nucleic acid is a derivative of the nucleicacid according to the present invention, whereby the derivative of thenucleic acid comprises at least one fluorescent derivative of adenosinereplacing adenosine. In a preferred embodiment, the fluorescentderivative of adenosine is ethenoadenosine.

In a further embodiment, the complex consisting of the derivative of thenucleic acid according to the present invention and the SDF-1 isdetected using fluorescence.

In an embodiment of the method, a signal is created in step (c) or step(d) and preferably the signal is correlated with the concentration ofSDF-1 in the sample.

In a preferred aspect, the assays may be performed in 96-well plates,where components are immobilized in the reaction vessels as describedabove and the wells acting as reaction vessels.

The inventive nucleic acid may further be used as starting material fordrug design. Basically there are two possible approaches. One approachis the screening of compound libraries whereas such compound librariesare preferably low molecular weight compound libraries. In anembodiment, the screening is a high throughput screening Preferably,high throughput screening is the fast, efficient, trial-and-errorevaluation of compounds in a target-based assay.

In best case, the analysis is carried by a colorimetric measurement.Libraries as used in connection therewith are known to the one skilledin the art.

Alternatively, the nucleic acid according to the present invention maybe used for rational design of drugs. Preferably, rational drug designis the design of a pharmaceutical lead structure. Starting from the3-dimensional structure of the target which is typically identified bymethods such as X-ray crystallography or nuclear magnetic resonancespectroscopy, computer programs are used to search through databasescontaining structures of many different chemical compounds. Theselection is done by a computer, the identified compounds cansubsequently be tested in the laboratory.

The rational design of drugs may start from any of the nucleic acidsaccording to the present invention and involves a structure, preferablya three dimensional structure, which is similar to the structure of theinventive nucleic acids or identical to the binding mediating parts ofthe structure of the inventive nucleic acids. In any case such astructure still shows the same or a similar binding characteristic asthe inventive nucleic acids. In either, a further step or as analternative step in the rational design of drugs, the preferably threedimensional structure of those parts of the nucleic acid binding to theneurotransmitter are mimicked by chemical groups which are differentfrom nucleotides and nucleic acids. By this mimicry, a compounddifferent from the nucleic acids can be designed. Such a compound ispreferably a small molecule or a peptide.

In case of screening of compound libraries, such as by using acompetitive assay which is known to the one skilled in the arts,appropriate SDF-1 analogues, SDF-1 agonists or SDF-1 antagonists may befound. Such competitive assays may be set up as follows. The inventivenucleic acid, preferably a spiegelmer which is a target bindingL-nucleic acid, is coupled to a solid phase. In order to identify SDF-1analogues, labelled SDF-1 may be added to the assay. A potentialanalogue would compete with the SDF-1 molecules binding to thespiegelmer which would go along with a decrease in the signal obtainedby the respective label. Screening for agonists or antagonists mayinvolve the use of a cell culture assay as known to the ones skilled inthe art.

The kit according to the present invention may comprise at least one orseveral of the inventive nucleic acids. Additionally, the kit maycomprise at least one or several positive or negative controls. Apositive control may, for example, be SDF-1, particularly the oneagainst which the inventive nucleic acid is selected or to which itbinds, preferably, in liquid form. A negative control may, e.g., be apeptide which is defined in terms of biophysical properties similar toSDF-1, but which is not recognized by the inventive nucleic acids.Furthermore, said kit may comprise one or several buffers. The variousingredients may be contained in the kit in dried or lyophilised form orsolved in a liquid. The kit may comprise one or several containers whichin turn may contain one or several ingredients of the kit. In a furtherembodiment, the kit comprises an instruction or instruction leafletwhich provides to the user information on how to use the kit and itsvarious ingredients.

As preferably used herein, the term treatment comprises in a preferredembodiment additionally or alternatively prevention and/or follow-up.

The pharmaceutical and bioanalytical determination of the nucleic acidaccording to the present invention is elementarily for the assessment ofits pharmacokinetic and biodynamic profile in several humours, tissuesand organs of the human and non-human body. For such purpose, any of thedetection methods disclosed herein or known to a person skilled in theart may be used. In a further aspect of the present invention, asandwich hybridisation assay for the detection of the nucleic acidaccording to the present invention is provided. Within the detectionassay, a capture probe and a detection probe are used. The capture probeis complementary to the first part and the detection probe to the secondpart of the nucleic acid according to the present invention. Bothcapture and detection probe can be formed by DNA nucleotides, modifiedDNA nucleotides, modified RNA nucleotides, RNA nucleotides, LNAnucleotides and/or PNA nucleotides.

Hence, the capture probe comprises a sequence stretch complementary tothe 5′-end of the nucleic acid according to the present invention andthe detection probe comprise a sequence stretch complementary to the3′-end of the nucleic acid according to the present invention. In thiscase, the capture probe is immobilised to a surface or matrix via its5′-end whereby the capture probe can be immobilised directly at its 5′end or via a linker between of its 5′ end and the surface or matrix.However, in principle, the linker can be linked to each nucleotide ofthe capture probe. The linker can be formed by hydrophilic linkers ofskilled in the art or by D-DNA nucleotides, modified D-DNA nucleotides,D-RNA nucleotides, modified D-RNA nucleotides, D-LNA nucleotides, PNAnucleotides, L-RNA nucicotidcs, L-DNA nucicotidcs, modified L-RNAnucicotidcs, modified L-DNA nucleotides and/or L-LNA nucleotides.

Alternatively, the capture probe comprises a sequence stretchcomplementary to the 3′-end of the nucleic acid according to the presentinvention and the detection probe comprise a sequence stretchcomplementary to the 5′-end of the nucleic acid according to the presentinvention. In this case, the capture probe is immobilised to a surfaceor matrix via its 3′-end whereby the capture probe can be immobiliseddirectly at its 3′-end or via a linker between of its 3′-end and thesurface or matrix. However, in principle, the linker can be linked toeach nucleotide of the sequence stretch that is complementary to thenucleic acid according to the present invention. The linker can beformed by hydrophilic linkers of skilled in the art or by D-DNAnucleotides, modified D-DNA nucleotides, D-RNA nucleotides, modifiedD-RNA nucleotides, D-LNA nucleotides, PNA nucleotides, L-RNAnucleotides, L-DNA nucleotides, modified L-RNA nucleotides, modifiedL-DNA nucleotides and/or L-LNA nucleotides.

The number of nucleotides of the capture and detection probe that mayhybridise to the nucleic acid according to the present invention isvariable and can be dependent from the number of nucleotides of thecapture and/or the detection probe and/or the nucleic acid according tothe present invention itself. The total number of nucleotides of thecapture and the detection probe that may hybridise to the nucleic acidaccording to the present invention should be maximal the number ofnucleotides that are comprised by the nucleic acid according to thepresent invention. The minimal number of nucleotides (2 to 10nucleotides) of the detection and capture probe should allowhybridisation to the 5′-end or 3′-end, respectively, of the nucleic acidaccording to the present invention. In order to realize high specificityand selectivity between the nucleic acid according to the presentinvention and other nucleic acids occurring in samples that are analyzedthe total number of nucleotides of the capture and detection probeshould be or maximal the number of nucleotides that are comprised by thenucleic acid according to the present invention.

Moreover, the detection probe preferably carries a marker molecule orlabel that can be detected as previously described herein. The label ormarker molecule can, in principle, be linked to each nucleotide of thedetection probe. Preferably, the label or marker is located at the5′-end or 3′-end of the detection probe, whereby, between thenucleotides within the detection probe that are complementary to thenucleic acid according to the present invention and the label, a linkercan be inserted. The linker can be formed by hydrophilic linkers of theones skilled in the art or by D-DNA nucleotides, modified D-DNAnucleotides, D-RNA nucleotides, modified D-RNA nucleotides, D-LNAnucleotides, PNA nucleotides, L-RNA nucleotides, L-DNA nucleotides,modified L-RNA nucleotides, modified L-DNA nucleotides and/or L-LNAnucleotides.

The detection of the nucleic acid according to the present invention canbe carried out as follows:

The nucleic acid according to the present invention hybridises with oneof its ends to the capture probe and with the other end to the detectionprobe. Afterwards unbound detection probe is removed by, e.g., one orseveral washing steps. The amount of bound detection probe whichpreferably carries a label or marker molecule, can be measuredsubsequently.

As preferably used herein, the terms disease and disorder shall be usedin an interchangeable manner, if not indicated to the contrary.

As used herein, the term comprise is preferably not intended to limitthe subject matter followed or described by such term. However, in analternative embodiment the term comprises shall be understood in themeaning of containing and thus as limiting the subject matter followedor described by such term.

The various SEQ ID NOs, the chemical nature of the nucleic acidmolecules according to the present invention and the target moleculesSDF-1 as used herein, the actual sequence thereof and the internalreference number is summarized in the following table.

It has to be noticed that the nucleic acids were characterized on theaptamer, i.e. D-nucleic acid level (D-RNA) with the biotinylated humanD-SDF-1 (SEQ.ID. 4) or on the Spiegelmer level, i.e. L-nucleic acid(L-RNA) with the natural configuration of SDF-1, the L-SDF-1 (humanSDF-1α, SEQ ID NO:1). The different nucleic acids share one internalreference name but one SEQ ID NO for the D-RNA (Aptamer) molecule andone SEQ ID NO for the L-RNA (Spiegelmer) molecule, respectively.

TABLE 1 (A) Seq.-ID RNA/Peptide Sequence Internal Reference 1 L-peptideKPVSLSYRCPCRFFESHVARANVKHLKILNTPNCALQIVARL human/monkey/catKNNNRQVCIDPKLKWIQEYLEKALNK SDF-1α human/monkey/cat SDF-1 2 L-peptideKPVSLSYRCPCRFFESHVARANVKHLKILNTPNCALQIVARL human/monkey/cat SDF-KNNNRQVCIDPKLKWIQEYLEKALNKRFKM 1β 3 L-peptideKPVSLSYRCPCRFFESHIARANVKHLKILNTPNCALQIVARL murine SDF-1αKNNNRQVCIDPKLKWIQEYLEKALNK murine SDF-1 4 D-peptideKPVSLSYRCPCRFFESHVARANVKHLKILNTPNCALQIVARL biotinylated hu D-KNNNRQVCIDPKLKWIQEYLEKALNKRFK-Biotin SDF-1 5 L-RNAGCUGUGAAAGCAACAUGUCAAUGAAAGGUAGCCGCAGC 192-A10-001 (SPIEGELMER) 6 L-RNAGCUGUGAAAGUAACAUGUCAAUGAAAGGUAACCACAGC 192-G10 (SPIEGELMER) 7 L-RNAGCUGUGAAAGUAACACGUCAAUGAAAGGUAACCGCAGC 192-F10 (SPIEGELMER) 8 L-RNAGCUGUGAAAGUAACACGUCAAUGAAAGGUAACCACAGC 192-B11 (SPIEGELMER) 9 L-RNAGCUGUAAAAGUAACAUGUCAAUGAAAGGUAACUACAGC 192-C9 (SPIEGELMER) 10 L-RNAGCUGUAAAAGUAACAAGUCAAUGAAAGGUAACUACAGC 192-E10 (SPIEGELMER) 11 L-RNAGCUGUGAAAGUAACAAGUCAAUGAAAGGUAACCACAGC 192-C10 (SPIEGELMER) 12 L-RNAGCAGUGAAAGUAACAUGUCAAUGAAAGGUAACCACAGC 192-D11 (SPIEGELMER) 13 L-RNAGCUGUGAAAGUAACAUGUCAAUGAAAGGUAACCACUGC 192-G11 (SPIEGELMER) 14 L-RNAGCUAUGAAAGUAACAUGUCAAUGAAAGGUAACCAUAGC 192-H11 (SPIEGELMER) 15 L-RNAGCUGCGAAAGCGACAUGUCAAUGAAAGGUAGCCGCAGC 192-D10 (SPIEGELMER) 16 L-RNAGCUGUGAAAGCAACAUGUCAAUGAAAGGUAGCCACAGC 192-E9 (SPIEGELMER) 17 L-RNAGCUGUGAAAGUAACAUGUCAAUGAAAGGUAGCCGCAGC 192-H9 (SPIEGELMER)

TABLE 1 (B) Seq.-ID RNA/Peptide Sequence Internal Reference 18 L-RNAAGCGUGAAAGUAACACGUAAAAUGAAAGGUAACCACGCU 191-A6 (SPIEGELMER) 19 L-RNAAAAGYRACAHGUMAAX_(A)UGAAAGGUARC; X_(A) = A or Type A Formula-1(SPIEGELMER) absent 20 L-RNA AAAGYRACAHGUMAAUGAAAGGUARC Type A Formula-2(SPIEGELMER) 21 L-RNA AAAGYRACAHGUMAAAUGAAAGGUARC Type A Formula-3(SPIEGELMER) 22 L-RNA AAAGYAACAHGUCAAUGAAAGGUARC Type A Formula-4(SPIEGELMER) 23 L-RNA RSHRYR Type A Formula-5-5′ (SPIEGELMER 24 L-RNAYRYDSY Type A Formula-5-3′ (SPIEGELMER 25 L-RNACUGUGAAAGCAACAUGUCAAUGAAAGGUAGCCGCAG 192-A10-002 (SPIEGELMER) 26 L-RNAUGUGAAAGCAACAUGUCAAUGAAAGGUAGCCGCA 192-A10-003 (SPIEGELMER) 27 L-RNAGUGAAAGCAACAUGUCAAUGAAAGGUAGCCGC 192-A10-004 (SPIEGELMER) 28 L-RNAUGAAAGCAACAUGUCAAUGAAAGGUAGCCG 192-A10-005 (SPIEGELMER) 29 L-RNAGAAAGCAACAUGUCAAUGAAAGGUAGCC 192-A10-006 (SPIEGELMER) 30 L-RNAAAAGCAACAUGUCAAUGAAAGGUAGC 192-A10-007 (SPIEGELMER) 31 L-RNAGCGUGAAAGCAACAUGUCAAUGAAAGGUAGCCGCGC 192-A10-008 (SPIEGELMER) 32 L-RNAGCGCGAAAGCAACAUGUCAAUGAAAGGUAGCCGCGC 192-A10-015 (SPIEGELMER) 33 L-RNAGCGGAAAGCAACAUGUCAAUGAAAGGUAGCCCGC 192-A10-014 (SPIEGELMER) 34 L-RNACGUGAAAGCAACAUGUCAAUGAAAGGUAGCCGCG 192-A10-016 (SPIEGELMER) 35 L-RNAGCGCAAAGCAACAUGUCAAUGAAAGGUAGCGUGC 192-A10-017 (SPIEGELMER) 36 L-RNAGUGCAAAGCAACAUGUCAAUGAAAGGUAGCGCGC 192-A10-018 (SPIEGELMER)

TABLE 1 (C) Seq.-ID RNA/Peptide Sequence Internal Reference 37 L-RNACGCGAAAGCAACAUGUCAAUGAAAGGUAGCCGUG 192-A10-019 (SPIEGELMER) 38 L-RNAGGGCAAAGCAACAUGUCAAUGAAAGGUAGCGCCC 192-A10-020 (SPIEGELMER) 39 L-RNAGGCCAAAGCAACAUGUCAAUGAAAGGUAGCGGCC 192-A10-021 (SPIEGELMER) 40 L-RNAGCCCAAAGCAACAUGUCAAUGAAAGGUAGCGGGC 192-A10-022 (SPIEGELMER) 41 L-RNACCCCAAAGCAACAUGUCAAUGAAAGGUAGCGGGG 192-A10-023 (SPIEGELMER) 42 L-RNAX₂BBBS; X2 = S or absent Type A Formula-6-5′ (SPIEGELMER) 43 L-RNASBBVX₃; X₃ = S or absent Type A Formula-6-3′ (SPIEGELMER) 44 L-RNAX₁X₂NNBV; X₁ = R or absent, X₂= S or absent Type A Formula-7-5′(SPIEGELMER) 45 L-RNA BNBNX₃X₄; X₃ = R or absent, X₄ = Y or absent TypeA Formula-7-3′ (SPIEGELMER) 46 L-RNAAGCGUGGUGUGAUCUAGAUGUAGUGGCUGAUCCUAGUCAGGU 193-C2-001 (SPIEGELMER) ACGCU47 L-RNA AGCGUGGUGUGAUCUAGAUGUAUUGGCUGAUCCUAGUCAGGU 193-G2-001(SPIEGELMER) ACGCU 48 L-RNA AGCGUGGUGUGAUCUAGAUGUAAUGGCUGAUCCUAGUCAGGU193-F2-001 (SPIEGELMER) GCGCU 49 L-RNAGCGAGGUGUGAUCUAGAUGUAGUGGCUGAUCCUAGUCAGGUG 193-G1-002 (SPIEGELMER) CGC50 L-RNA GCGUGGUGUGAUCUAGAUGUAGUGGCUGAUCCUAGUCAGGUG 193-D2-002(SPIEGELMER) CGC 51 L-RNA GCAUGGUGUGAUCUAGAUGUAGUGGCUGAUCCUAGUCAGGUG193-A1-002 (SPIEGELMER) CCC 52 L-RNAGCGUGGUGUGAUCUAGAUGUAAUGGCUGAUCCUAGUCAGGGA 193-D3-002 (SPIEGELMER) CGC

TABLE 1 (D) Seq.-ID RNA/Peptide Sequence Internal Reference 53 L-RNAGCGUGGUGUGAUCUAGAUGUAGAGGCUGAUCCUAGUCAGGUA 193-B3-002 (SPIEGELMER) CGC54 L-RNA GCGUGGUGUGAUCUAGAUGUAAAGGCUGAUCCUAGUCAGGUA 193-H3-002(SPIEGELMER) CGC 55 L-RNA GCGUGGUGUGAUCUAGAUGUAGUGGCUGUUCCUAGUCAGGUA193-E3-002 (SPIEGELMER) UGC 56 L-RNAGCGUGGUGUGAUCUAGAUGUAGUGGCUGAUCCUAGUUAGGUA 193-D1-002 (SPIEGELMER) CGC57 L-RNA GUGUGAUCUAGAUGUADWGGCUGWUCCUAGUYAGG Type B Formula-1(SPIEGELMER) 58 L-RNA GUGUGAUCUAGAUGUADUGGCUGAUCCUAGUCAGG Type BFormula-2 (SPIEGELMER) 59 L-RNA X₁GCRWG; X₁ = A or absent Type BFormula-3-5′ (SPIEGELMER) 60 L-RNA KRYSCX₄; X₄ = U or absent Type BFormula-3-3′ (SPIEGELMER) 61 L-RNAGCGUGGUGUGAUCUAGAUGUAGUGGCUGAUCCUAGUCAGGUA 193-C2-002 (SPIEGELMER) CGC62 L-RNA CGUGGUGUGAUCUAGAUGUAGUGGCUGAUCCUAGUCAGGUACG 193-C2-003(SPIEGELMER) 63 L-RNA GUGGUGUGAUCUAGAUGUAGUGGCUGAUCCUAGUCAGGUAC193-C2-004 (SPIEGELMER) 64 L-RNA UGGUGUGAUCUAGAUGUAGUGGCUGAUCCUAGUCAGGUA193-C2-005 (SPIEGELMER) 65 L-RNA GGUGUGAUCUAGAUGUAGUGGCUGAUCCUAGUCAGGU193-C2-006 (SPIEGELMER) 66 L-RNA GUGUGAUCUAGAUGUAGUGGCUGAUCCUAGUCAGG193-C2-007 (SPIEGELMER) 67 L-RNAGCGUGGUGUGAUCUAGAUGUAUUGGCUGAUCCUAGUCAGGUA 193-G2-012 (SPIEGELMER) CGC

TABLE 1 (E) Seq.-ID RNA/Peptide Sequence Internal Reference 68 L-RNAGCGCGGUGUGAUCUAGAUGUAUUGGCUGAUCCUAGUCAGGCG 193-G2-013 (SPIEGELMER) CGC69 L-RNA GCGCGUGUGAUCUAGAUGUAUUGGCUGAUCCUAGUCAGGGCGC 193-G2-014(SPIEGELMER) 70 L-RNA GGGCGUGUGAUCUAGAUGUAUUGGCUGAUCCUAGUCAGGGCCC193-G2-015 (SPIEGELMER) 71 L-RNAGGCCGUGUGAUCUAGAUGUAUUGGCUGAUCCUAGUCAGGGGCC 193-G2-016 (SPIEGELMER) 72L-RNA GCCCGUGUGAUCUAGAUGUAUUGGCUGAUCCUAGUCAGGGGGC 193-G2-017(SPIEGELMER) 73 L-RNA X₂SSBS; X₂ = G or absent Type B Formula-4-5′(SPIEGELMER) 74 L-RNA BVSSX₃; X₃ = C or absent Type B Formula-4-3′(SPIEGELMER) 75 L-RNA X₁GCGUG; X₁ = A or absent Type B Formula-5-5′(SPIEGELMER) 76 L-RNA UACGCX₄; X₄ = U or absent Type B Formula-5-3′(SPIEGELMER) 77 L-RNA X₁X₂SVNS; X₁ = A or absent, X₂ = G or absent TypeB Formula-6-5′ (SPIEGELMER) 78 L-RNA BVBSX₃X₄; X₃ = C or absent, X₄ = Uor absent Type B Formula-6-3′ (SPIEGELMER) 79 L-RNAGUGCUGCGGGGGUUAGGGCUAGAAGUCGGCCUGCAGCAC 197-B2 (SPIEGELMER) 80 L-RNAAGCGUGGCGAGGUUAGGGCUAGAAGUCGGUCGACACGCU 191-D5-001 (SPIEGELMER) 81 L-RNAGUGUUGCGGAGGUUAGGGCUAGAAGUCGGUCAGCAGCAC 197-H1 (SPIEGELMER) 82 L-RNACGUGCGCUUGAGAUAGGGGUUAGGGCUUAAAGUCGGCUGAUU 190-A3-001 (SPIEGELMER)CUCACG 83 L-RNA AGCGUGAAGGGGUUAGGGCUCGAAGUCGGCUGACACGCU 191-A5(SPIEGELMER)

TABLE 1 (F) Seq.-ID RNA/Peptide Sequence Internal Reference 84 L-RNAGUGCUGCGGGGGUUAGGGCUCGAAGUCGGCCCGCAGCAC 197-H3 (SPIEGELMER) 85 L-RNAGUGUUCCCGGGGUUAGGGCUUGAAGUCGGCCGGCAGCAC 197-B1 (SPIEGELMER) 86 L-RNAGUGUUGCAGGGGUUAGGGCUUGAAGUCGGCCUGCAGCAC 197-E3 (SPIEGELMER) 87 L-RNAGUGCUGCGGGGGUUAGGGCUCAAAGUCGGCCUGCAGCAC 197-H2 (SPIEGELMER) 88 L-RNAGUGCUGCCGGGGUUAGGGCUAA-AGUCGGCCGACAGCAC 197-D1 (SPIEGELMER) 89 L-RNAGUGCUGUGGGGGUCAGGGCUAGAAGUCGGCCUGCAGCAC 197-D2 (SPIEGELMER) 90 L-RNAGGUYAGGGCUHRX_(A)AGUCGG; X_(A) = A or absent Type C Formula-1(SPIEGELMER) 91 L-RNA GGUYAGGGCUHRAAGUCGG Type C Formula-2 (SPIEGELMER)92 L-RNA GGUYAGGGCUHRAGUCGG Type C Formula-3 (SPIEGELMER) 93 L-RNAGGUUAGGGCUHGAAGUCGG Type C Formula-4 (SPIEGELMER) 94 L-RNAUGAGAUAGGGGUUAGGGCUUAAAGUCGGCUGAUUCUCA 190-A3-003 (SPIEGELMER) 95 L-RNAGAGAUAGGGGUUAGGGCUUAAAGUCGGCUGAUUCUC 190-A3-004 (SPIEGELMER) 96 L-RNAGGGGUUAGGGCUUAAAGUCGGCUGAUUCU 190-A3-007 (SPIEGELMER) 97 L-RNAGCGUGGCGAGGUUAGGGCUAGAAGUCGGUCGACACGC 191-D5-002 (SPIEGELMER) 98 L-RNACGUGGCGAGGUUAGGGCUAGAAGUCGGUCGACACG 191-D5-003 (SPIEGELMER) 99 L-RNACGGGCGAGGUUAGGGCUAGAAGUCGGUCGACCG 191-D5-004 (SPIEGELMER) 100 L-RNACGGGCGAGGUUAGGGCUAGAAGUCGGUCGCCCG 191-D5-005 (SPIEGELMER)

TABLE 1 (G) Seq.-ID RNA/Peptide Sequence Internal Reference 101 L-RNACGGCGAGGUUAGGGCUAGAAGUCGGUCGCCG 191-D5-006 (SPIEGELMER) 102 L-RNACGGGAGGUUAGGGCUAGAAGUCGGUCCCG 191-D5-007 (SPIEGELMER) 103 L-RNAGGGAGGUUAGGGCUAGAAGUCGGUCCC 191-D5-010 (SPIEGELMER) 104 L-RNACCGCGGUUAGGGCUAGAAGUCGGGCGG 191-D5-017 (SPIEGELMER) 105 L-RNACCCGGGUUAGGGCUAGAAGUCGGCGGG 191-D5-029 (SPIEGELMER) 106 L-RNAGGCGGGUUAGGGCUAGAAGUCGGCGCC 191-D5-024 (SPIEGELMER) 107 L-RNACCCCGGGUUAGGGCUAGAAGUCGGCGGGG 191-D5-017-29a (SPIEGELMER) 108 L-RNAGCCGCGGUUAGGGCUAGAAGUCGGGCGGC 191-D5-017-29b (SPIEGELMER) 109 L-RNACCCCGGGUUAGGGCUAGAAGUCGGCGGGG 191-D5-019-29a (SPIEGELMER) 110 L-RNACGGCGGGUUAGGGCUAGAAGUCGGCGCCG 191-D5-024-29a (SPIEGELMER) 111 L-RNAGGGCGGGUUAGGGCUAGAAGUCGGCGCCC 191-D5-024-29b (SPIEGELMER) 112 L-RNAUGCUGCGGGGGUUAGGGCUAGAAGUCGGCCUGCAGCA 197-B2-001 (SPIEGELMER) 113 L-RNAGCUGCGGGGGUUAGGGCUAGAAGUCGGCCUGCAGC 197-B2-002 (SPIEGELMER) 114 L-RNACUGCGGGGGUUAGGGCUAGAAGUCGGCCUGCAG 197-B2-003 (SPIEGELMER) 115 L-RNAUGCGGGGGUUAGGGCUAGAAGUCGGCCUGCA 197-B2-004 (SPIEGELMER) 116 L-RNAGCGGGGGUUAGGGCUAGAAGUCGGCCUGC 197-B2-005 (SPIEGELMER)

TABLE 1 (H) Seq.-ID RNA/Peptide Sequence Internal Reference 117 L-RNAGCCGGGGUUAGGGCUAGAAGUCGGCCGGC 197-B2-006 (SPIEGELMER) 118 L-RNAGGCCGGGGUUAGGGCUAGAAGUCGGCCGGCC 197-B2-006-31a (SPIEGELMER) 119 L-RNACGCCGGGGUUAGGGCUAGAAGUCGGCCGGCG 197-B2-006-31b (SPIEGELMER) 120 L-RNARKSBUSNVGR Type C Formula-5-5′ (SPIEGELMER) 121 L-RNA YYNRCASSMY Type CFormula-5-3′ (SPIEGELMER) 122 L-RNA RKSBUGSVGR Type C Formula-6-5′(SPIEGELMER) 123 L-RNA YCNRCASSMY Type C Formula-6-3′ (SPIEGELMER) 124L-RNA X_(S)SSSV; X_(s) = S or absent Type C Formula-7-5′ (SPIEGELMER)125 L-RNA BSSSX_(S); X_(s) = S or absent Type C Formula-7-3′(SPIEGELMER) 126 L-RNA SGGSV Type C Formula-8-5′ (SPIEGELMER) 127 L-RNAYSCCS Type C Formula-8-3′ (SPIEGELMER) 128 L-RNA GCSGG Type CFormula-9-5′ (SPIEGELMER) 129 L-RNA CCKGC Type C Formula-9-3′(SPIEGELMER) 130 L-RNA SSSSR Type C Formula-10-5′ (SPIEGELMER) 131 L-RNAYSBSS Type C Formula-10-3′ (SPIEGELMER)

TABLE 1 (I) Seq.-ID RNA/Peptide Sequence Internal Reference 132 L-RNA5′-40 kDa-PEG- 193-G2-012-5′-PEG (SPIEGELMER)GCGUGGUGUGAUCUAGAUGUAUUGGCUGAUCCUAGUCAGGUA CGC 133 L-RNA 5′-40 kDa-PEG-192-A10-008-5′-PEG (SPIEGELMER) GCGUGAAAGCAACAUGUCAAUGAAAGGUAGCCGCGC 134L-RNA 5′-40 kDa-PEG- 191-D5-007-5′-PEG (SPIEGELMER)CGGGAGGUUAGGGCUAGAAGUCGGUCCCG 135 L-RNA 5′-40 kDa-PEG- 197-B2-006-5′-PEG(SPIEGELMER) GCCGGGGUUAGGGCUAGAAGUCGGCCGGC 136 L-RNA 5′-40 kDa-PEG-197-B2-006-31b-5′PEG (SPIEGELMER) CGCCGGGGUUAGGGCUAGAAGUCGGCCGGCG 137L-RNA 5′-40 kDa-PEG- 192-A10-001-5′-PEG (SPIEGELMER)GCUGUGAAAGCAACAUGUCAAUGAAAGGUAGCCGCAGC 192-A10-001-5′-PEG40 138 L-RNAUAAGGAAACUCGGUCUGAUGCGGUAGCGCUGUGCAGAGCU Control Spiegelmer (SPIEGELMER)139 L-RNA 5′-30 kDa-PEG- 192-A10-001-5′-PEG30 (SPIEGELMER)GCUGUGAAAGCAACAUGUCAAUGAAAGGUAGCCGCAGC 140 L-RNA 5′-100 kDa-HES-192-A10-001-5′-HES100 (SPIEGELMER)GCUGUGAAAGCAACAUGUCAAUGAAAGGUAGCCGCAGC 141 L-RNA 5′-130 kDa-HES-192-A10-001-5′-HES130 (SPIEGELMER)GCUGUGAAAGCAACAUGUCAAUGAAAGGUAGCCGCAGC 142 L-RNACGUGGUCCGUUGUGUCAGGUCUAUUCGCCCCGGUGCAGGGCA 194-A2-001 (SPIEGELMER)UCCGCG 143 L-RNA GCAGUGUGACGCGGACGUGAUAGGACAGAGCUGAUCCCGCUC 196-B12-003(SPIEGELMER) AGGUGAG 144 L-RNACAACAGCAGUGUGACGCGGACGUGAUAGGACAGAGCUGAUCC 196-B12-004 (SPIEGELMER)CGCUCAG

TABLE 1 (J) Seq.-ID RNA/Peptide Sequence Internal Reference 145 D-RNA(APTAMER) GCUGUGAAAGCAACAUGUCAAUGAAAGGUAGCCGCAGC 192-A10-001 146 D-RNA(APTAMER) GCUGUGAAAGUAACAUGUCAAUGAAAGGUAACCACAGC 192-G10 147 D-RNA(APTAMER) GCUGUGAAAGUAACACGUCAAUGAAAGGUAACCGCAGC 192-F10 148 D-RNA(APTAMER) GCUGUGAAAGUAACACGUCAAUGAAAGGUAACCACAGC 192-B11 149 D-RNA(APTAMER) GCUGUAAAAGUAACAUGUCAAUGAAAGGUAACUACAGC 192-C9 150 D-RNA(APTAMER) GCUGUAAAAGUAACAAGUCAAUGAAAGGUAACUACAGC 192-E10 151 D-RNA(APTAMER) GCUGUGAAAGUAACAAGUCAAUGAAAGGUAACCACAGC 192-C10 152 D-RNA(APTAMER) GCAGUGAAAGUAACAUGUCAAUGAAAGGUAACCACAGC 192-D11 153 D-RNA(APTAMER) GCUGUGAAAGUAACAUGUCAAUGAAAGGUAACCACUGC 192-G11 154 D-RNA(APTAMER) GCUAUGAAAGUAACAUGUCAAUGAAAGGUAACCAUAGC 192-H11 155 D-RNA(APTAMER) GCUGCGAAAGCGACAUGUCAAUGAAAGGUAGCCGCAGC 192-D10 156 D-RNA(APTAMER) GCUGUGAAAGCAACAUGUCAAUGAAAGGUAGCCACAGC 192-E9 157 D-RNA(APTAMER) GCUGUGAAAGUAACAUGUCAAUGAAAGGUAGCCGCAGC 192-H9 158 D-RNA(APTAMER) AGCGUGAAAGUAACACGUAAAAUGAAAGGUAACCACGCU 191-A6 159 D-RNA(APTAMER) CUGUGAAAGCAACAUGUCAAUGAAAGGUAGCCGCAG 192-A10-002 160 D-RNA(APTAMER) UGUGAAAGCAACAUGUCAAUGAAAGGUAGCCGCA 192-A10-003

TABLE 1 (K) Seq.-ID RNA/Peptide Sequence Internal Reference 161 D-RNA(APTAMER) GUGAAAGCAACAUGUCAAUGAAAGGUAGCCGC 192-A10-004 162 D-RNA(APTAMER) UGAAAGCAACAUGUCAAUGAAAGGUAGCCG 192-A10-005 163 D-RNA (APTAMER)GAAAGCAACAUGUCAAUGAAAGGUAGCC 192-A10-006 164 D-RNA (APTAMER)AAAGCAACAUGUCAAUGAAAGGUAGC 192-A10-007 165 D-RNA (APTAMER)GCGUGAAAGCAACAUGUCAAUGAAAGGUAGCCGCGC 192-A10-008 166 D-RNA (APTAMER)GCGCGAAAGCAACAUGUCAAUGAAAGGUAGCCGCGC 192-A10-015 167 D-RNA (APTAMER)GCGGAAAGCAACAUGUCAAUGAAAGGUAGCCCGC 192-A10-014 168 D-RNA (APTAMER)CGUGAAAGCAACAUGUCAAUGAAAGGUAGCCGCG 192-A10-016 169 D-RNA (APTAMER)GCGCAAAGCAACAUGUCAAUGAAAGGUAGCGUGC 192-A10-017 170 D-RNA (APTAMER)GUGCAAAGCAACAUGUCAAUGAAAGGUAGCGCGC 192-A10-018 171 D-RNA (APTAMER)CGCGAAAGCAACAUGUCAAUGAAAGGUAGCCGUG 192-A10-019 172 D-RNA (APTAMER)GGGCAAAGCAACAUGUCAAUGAAAGGUAGCGCCC 192-A10-020 173 D-RNA (APTAMER)GGCCAAAGCAACAUGUCAAUGAAAGGUAGCGGCC 192-A10-021 174 D-RNA (APTAMER)GCCCAAAGCAACAUGUCAAUGAAAGGUAGCGGGC 192-A10-022 175 D-RNA (APTAMER)CCCCAAAGCAACAUGUCAAUGAAAGGUAGCGGGG 192-A10-023 176 D-RNA (APTAMER)AGCGUGGUGUGAUCUAGAUGUAGUGGCUGAUCCUAGUCAGGU 193-C2-001 ACGCU

TABLE 1 (L) Seq.-ID RNA/Peptide Sequence Internal Reference 177 D-RNA(APTAMER) AGCGUGGUGUGAUCUAGAUGUAUUGGCUGAUCCUAGUCAGGU 193-G2-001 ACGCU178 D-RNA (APTAMER) AGCGUGGUGUGAUCUAGAUGUAAUGGCUGAUCCUAGUCAGGU193-F2-001 GCGCU 179 D-RNA (APTAMER)GCGAGGUGUGAUCUAGAUGUAGUGGCUGAUCCUAGUCAGGUG 193-G1-002 CGC 180 D-RNA(APTAMER) GCGUGGUGUGAUCUAGAUGUAGUGGCUGAUCCUAGUCAGGUG 193-D2-002 CGC 181D-RNA (APTAMER) GCAUGGUGUGAUCUAGAUGUAGUGGCUGAUCCUAGUCAGGUG 193-A1-002CCC 182 D-RNA (APTAMER) GCGUGGUGUGAUCUAGAUGUAAUGGCUGAUCCUAGUCAGGGA193-D3-002 CGC 183 D-RNA (APTAMER)GCGUGGUGUGAUCUAGAUGUAGAGGCUGAUCCUAGUCAGGUA 193-B3-002 CGC 184 D-RNA(APTAMER) GCGUGGUGUGAUCUAGAUGUAAAGGCUGAUCCUAGUCAGGUA 193-F13-002 CGC 185D-RNA (APTAMER) GCGUGGUGUGAUCUAGAUGUAGUGGCUGUUCCUAGUCAGGUA 193-E3-002UGC 186 D-RNA (APTAMER) GCGUGGUGUGAUCUAGAUGUAGUGGCUGAUCCUAGUUAGGUA193-D1-002 CGC 187 D-RNA (APTAMER)GCGUGGUGUGAUCUAGAUGUAGUGGCUGAUCCUAGUCAGGUA 193-C2-002 CGC 188 D-RNA(APTAMER) CGUGGUGUGAUCUAGAUGUAGUGGCUGAUCCUAGUCAGGUACG 193-C2-003 189D-RNA (APTAMER) GUGGUGUGAUCUAGAUGUAGUGGCUGAUCCUAGUCAGGUAC 193-C2-004 190D-RNA (APTAMER) UGGUGUGAUCUAGAUGUAGUGGCUGAUCCUAGUCAGGUA 193-C2-005 191D-RNA (APTAMER) GGUGUGAUCUAGAUGUAGUGGCUGAUCCUAGUCAGGU 193-C2-006

TABLE 1 (M) Seq.-ID RNA/Peptide Sequence Internal Reference 192 D-RNA(APTAMER) GUGUGAUCUAGAUGUAGUGGCUGAUCCUAGUCAGG 193-C2-007 193 D-RNA(APTAMER) GCGUGGUGUGAUCUAGAUGUAUUGGCUGAUCCUAGUCAGGUA 193-G2-012 CGC 194D-RNA (APTAMER) GCGCGGUGUGAUCUAGAUGUAUUGGCUGAUCCUAGUCAGGCG 193-G2-013CGC 195 D-RNA (APTAMER) GCGCGUGUGAUCUAGAUGUAUUGGCUGAUCCUAGUCAGGGCGC193-G2-014 196 D-RNA (APTAMER)GGGCGUGUGAUCUAGAUGUAUUGGCUGAUCCUAGUCAGGGCCC 193-G2-015 197 D-RNA(APTAMER) GGCCGUGUGAUCUAGAUGUAUUGGCUGAUCCUAGUCAGGGGCC 193-G2-016 198D-RNA (APTAMER) GCCCGUGUGAUCUAGAUGUAUUGGCUGAUCCUAGUCAGGGGGC 193-G2-017199 D-RNA (APTAMER) GUGCUGCGGGGGUUAGGGCUAGAAGUCGGCCUGCAGCAC 197-B2 200D-RNA (APTAMER) AGCGUGGCGAGGUUAGGGCUAGAAGUCGGUCGACACGCU 191-D5-001 201D-RNA (APTAMER) GUGUUGCGGAGGUUAGGGCUAGAAGUCGGUCAGCAGCAC 197-H1 202 D-RNA(APTAMER) CGUGCGCUUGAGAUAGGGGUUAGGGCUUAAAGUCGGCUGAUU 190-A3-001 CUCACG203 D-RNA (APTAMER) AGCGUGAAGGGGUUAGGGCUCGAAGUCGGCUGACACGCU 191-A5 204D-RNA (APTAMER) GUGCUGCGGGGGUUAGGGCUCGAAGUCGGCCCGCAGCAC 197-H3 205 D-RNA(APTAMER) GUGUUCCCGGGGUUAGGGCUUGAAGUCGGCCGGCAGCAC 197-B1

TABLE 1 (N) Seq.-ID RNA/Peptide Sequence Internal Reference 206 D-RNA(APTAMER) GUGUUGCAGGGGUUAGGGCUUGAAGUCGGCCUGCAGCAC 197-E3 207 D-RNA(APTAMER) GUGCUGCGGGGGUUAGGGCUCAAAGUCGGCCUGCAGCAC 197-H2 208 D-RNA(APTAMER) GUGCUGCCGGGGUUAGGGCUAA-AGUCGGCCGACAGCAC 197-D1 209 D-RNA(APTAMER) GUGCUGUGGGGGUCAGGGCUAGAAGUCGGCCUGCAGCAC 197-D2 210 D-RNA(APTAMER) UGAGAUAGGGGUUAGGGCUUAAAGUCGGCUGAUUCUCA 190-A3-003 211 D-RNA(APTAMER) GAGAUAGGGGUUAGGGCUUAAAGUCGGCUGAUUCUC 190-A3-004 212 D-RNA(APTAMER) GGGGUUAGGGCUUAAAGUCGGCUGAUUCU 190-A3-007 213 D-RNA (APTAMER)GCGUGGCGAGGUUAGGGCUAGAAGUCGGUCGACACGC 191-D5-002 214 D-RNA (APTAMER)CGUGGCGAGGUUAGGGCUAGAAGUCGGUCGACACG 191-D5-003 215 D-RNA (APTAMER)CGGGCGAGGUUAGGGCUAGAAGUCGGUCGACCG 191-D5-004 216 D-RNA (APTAMER)CGGGCGAGGUUAGGGCUAGAAGUCGGUCGCCCG 191-D5-005 217 D-RNA (APTAMER)CGGCGAGGUUAGGGCUAGAAGUCGGUCGCCG 191-D5-006 218 D-RNA (APTAMER)CGGGAGGUUAGGGCUAGAAGUCGGUCCCG 191-D5-007 219 D-RNA (APTAMER)GGGAGGUUAGGGCUAGAAGUCGGUCCC 191-D5-010 220 D-RNA (APTAMER)CCGCGGUUAGGGCUAGAAGUCGGGCGG 191-D5-017 221 D-RNA (APTAMER)CCCGGGUUAGGGCUAGAAGUCGGCGGG 191-D5-029 222 D-RNA (APTAMER)GGCGGGUUAGGGCUAGAAGUCGGCGCC 191-D5-024 223 D-RNA (APTAMER)CCCGCGGUUAGGGCUAGAAGUCGGGCGGG 191-D5-017-29a

TABLE 1 (O) Seq.-ID RNA/Peptide Sequence Internal Reference 224 D-RNA(APTAMER) GCCGGGGUUAGGGCUAGAAGUCGGCCGGC 191-D5-017-29b 225 D-RNA(APTAMER) CCCCGGGUUAGGGCUAGAAGUCGGCGGGG 191-D5-019-29a 226 D-RNA(APTAMER) CGGCGGGUUAGGGCUAGAAGUCGGCGCCG 191-D5-024-29a 227 D-RNA(APTAMER) GGGCGGGUUAGGGCUAGAAGUCGGCGCCC 191-D5-024-29b 228 D-RNA(APTAMER) UGCUGCGGGGGUUAGGGCUAGAAGUCGGCCUGCAGCA 197-B2-001 229 D-RNA(APTAMER) GCUGCGGGGGUUAGGGCUAGAAGUCGGCCUGCAGC 197-B2-002 230 D-RNA(APTAMER) CUGCGGGGGUUAGGGCUAGAAGUCGGCCUGCAG 197-B2-003 231 D-RNA(APTAMER) UGCGGGGGUUAGGGCUAGAAGUCGGCCUGCA 197-B2-004 232 D-RNA (APTAMER)GCGGGGGUUAGGGCUAGAAGUCGGCCUGC 197-B2-005 233 D-RNA (APTAMER)GCCGGGGUUAGGGCUAGAAGUCGGCCGGC 197-B2-006 234 D-RNA (APTAMER)GGCCGGGGUUAGGGCUAGAAGUCGGCCGGCC 197-B2-006-31a 235 D-RNA (APTAMER)CGCCGGGGUUAGGGCUAGAAGUCGGCCGGCG 197-B2-006-31b 236 D-RNA (APTAMER)CGUGGUCCGUUGUGUCAGGUCUAUUCGCCCCGGUGCAGGGCA 194-A2-001 UCCGCG 236 D-RNA(APTAMER) GCAGUGUGACGCGGACGUGAUAGGACAGAGCUGAUCCCGCUC 196-B12-003 AGGUGAG238 D-RNA (APTAMER) CAACAGCAGUGUGACGCGGACGUGAUAGGACAGAGCUGAUCC196-B12-004 CGCUCAG

TABLE 1 (P) Seq.-ID RNA/Peptide Sequence Internal Reference 239 L-RNA5′-PEG- PEGylated Control (Spiegelmer)UAAGGAAACUCGGUCUGAUGCGGUAGCGCUGUGCAGAGCU Spiegelmer 240 L-RNAGATCACACCACGC-(C18-PEG-spacer)-(C18-PEG- 193-G2-012-5′-PEG (Spiegelmer)spacer)-1-NH₂-3′ capture probe 241 L-RNA5′-NH₂-(C18-PEG-spacer)-(C18-PEG-spacer)- 193-G2-012-5′-PEG (Spiegelmer)GCGUACCUGAC detect probe

EXAMPLE 1 Nucleic Acids that Bind Human SDF-1

Using biotinylated human D-SDF-1 as a target, several nucleic acids thatbind to human SDF-1 could be generated, the nucleotide sequences ofwhich are depicted in FIGS. 1 through 9. The nucleic acids werecharacterized on the aptamer, i.e. D-nucleic acid level withbiotinylated human D-SDF-1 or on the Spiegelmer level, i.e. L-nucleicacid with the natural configuration of SDF-1 (L-SDF-1).

Aptamers were analyzed with biotinylated human D-SDF-1 using competitiveor direct pull-down binding assays with biotinylated human D-SDF-1(Example 4). Spiegelmers were tested with the natural configuration ofSDF-1 (L-SDF-1) by surface plasmon resonance measurement using a Biacore2000 instrument (Example 6) and a cell culture in vitro chemotaxis assay(Example 5).

The nucleic acid molecules thus generated exhibit different sequencemotifs, three main types are defined in FIGS. 1, 2A and 2B (Type A),FIGS. 3, 4A and 4B (Type B), and FIGS. 5, 6, 7A, 7B and 8 (Type C). Fordefinition of nucleotide sequence motifs, the IUPAC abbreviations forambiguous nucleotides is used:

S strong G or C; W weak A or U; R purine G or A; Y pyrimidine C or U; Kketo G or U; M imino A or C; B not A C or U or G; D not C A or G or U; Hnot G A or C or U; V not U A or C or G; and N all A or G or C or U

If not indicated to the contrary, any nucleic acid sequence or sequenceof stretches and boxes, respectively, is indicated in the 5′→3′direction.

1.1 Type A SDF-1-Binding Nucleic Acids

As depicted in FIG. 1, all sequences of SDF-1-binding nucleic acids ofType A comprise one core nucleotide sequence which is flanked by5′-terminal and 3′-terminal stretches that can hybridize to each other.However, such hybridization is not necessarily given in the molecule.

The nucleic acids were characterized on the aptamer level using directand competitive pull-down binding assays with biotinylated human D-SDF-1in order to rank them with respect to their binding behaviour (Example4). Selected sequences were synthesized as Spiegelmers (Example 3) andwere tested using the natural configuration of SDF-1 (L-SDF) in a cellculture in vitro chemotaxis assay (Example 5) and by surface plasmonresonance measurement using a Biacore 2000 instrument (Example 6).

The sequences of the defined boxes or stretches may be different betweenthe SDF-1-binding nucleic acids of Type A which influences the bindingaffinity to SDF-1. Based on binding analysis of the differentSDF-1-binding nucleic acids summarized as Type A SDF-1-binding nucleicacids, the core nucleotide sequence and its nucleotide sequences asdescribed in the following are individually and more preferably in theirentirety essential for binding to SDF-1:

The core nucleotide sequence of all identified sequences of Type ASDF-1-binding nucleic acids share the sequence

(SEQ ID NO: 19)

 (Type A Formula-1),whereby X_(A) is either absent or is ‘A’. If ‘A’ is absent, the sequenceof the core nucleotide sequence can be summarized as Type A Formula-2

(SEQ ID NO: 20)

.Type A SDF-1-binding nucleic acid 191-A6 (core nucleotide sequence:

(SEQ ID NO: 18)

)carrying the additional nucleotide ‘A’ within the core nucleotidesequence and still binding to SDF-1 let conclude an alternative corenucleotide sequence

(SEQ ID NO: 21) (

, Type A Formula-3).Exemplarily for all the other nucleic acids of Type A SDF-1-bindingnucleic acids, the Type A SDF-1-binding nucleic acid 192-A10-001 wascharacterized for its binding affinity to human SDF-1. The equilibriumbinding constant K_(D) was determined using the pull-down binding assay(K_(D)=1.5 nM, FIG. 11) and by surface plasmon resonance measurement(K_(D)=1.0 nM, FIG. 15). The IC₅₀ (inhibitory concentration 50%) of 0.12nM for 192-A10-001 was measured using a cell culture in vitro chemotaxisassay (FIG. 12). Consequently, all Type A SDF-1-binding nucleic acids asdepicted in FIG. 1 were analyzed in a competitive pull-down bindingassay vs. 192-A10-001 (FIG. 13; not all of Type A SDF-1-binding nucleicacids tested are shown in FIG. 13). The Type A SDF-1-binding nucleicacids 192-B11 and 192-C10 showed equal binding affinities with192-A10-001 in these competition experiments. Weaker binding affinitywas determined for Type A SDF-1-binding nucleic acids 192-G10, 192-F10,192-C9, 192-E10, 192-D11, 192-G11, 192-H11 and 191-A6. The Type ASDF-1-binding nucleic acids 192-D10, 192-E9 and 192-H9 have much weakerbinding affinity than 192-A10-001 (FIG. 13).

As mentioned above, the Type A SDF-1-binding nucleic acid 192-B11 and192-C10 exhibit equal binding affinity to SDF-1 as 192-A10-001. However,they show slight differences in the nucleotide sequence of the corenucleotide sequence. Therefore the consensus sequence of the threemolecules binding to SDF-1 with almost the same high affinity can besummarized by the nucleotide sequence

(SEQ ID NO: 22)

 (Type A Formula-4)whereby the nucleotide sequence of the core nucleotide sequence of192-A10-001 (nucleotide sequence:

(SEQ ID NO: 30)

)represents the nucleotide sequence with the best binding affinity ofType A SDF-1-binding nucleic acids.

Five or six out of the six nucleotides of the 5′-terminal stretch ofType A SDF-1-binding nucleic acids may hybridize to the respective fiveor six nucleotides out of the six nucleotides of the 3′-terminal stretchType A SDF-1-binding nucleic acids to form a terminal helix. Althoughthese nucleotides are variable at several positions, the differentnucleotides allow for hybridization of five or six out of the sixnucleotides of the 5′-terminal and 3′-terminal stretches each. The5′-terminal and 3′-terminal stretches of Type A SDF-1-binding nucleicacids as shown in FIG. 1 can be summarized in a generic formula for the5′-terminal stretch (‘RSHRYR’, Type A Formula-5-5′) and for the3′-terminal stretch (‘YRYDSY’, Type A Formula-5-3′). Truncatedderivatives of Type A SDF-1-binding nucleic acid 192-A10-001 wereanalyzed in a competitive pull-down binding assay vs. the originalmolecule 192-A10-001 and 192-A10-008 (FIGS. 2A and 2B). Theseexperiments showed that a reduction of the six terminal nucleotides(5′end: GCUGUG; 3′end: CGCAGC) of 192-A10-001 to five nucleotides(5′end: CUGUG; 3′end: CGCAG) of the derivative 192-A10-002 could be donewithout reduction of binding affinity. However, the truncation to fourterminal nucleotides (5′end: UGUG; 3′end: CGCA; 192-A10-003) or less(192-A10-004/-005/-006/-007) led to reduced binding affinity to SDF-1(FIG. 2A). The determined 5′-terminal and 3′-terminal stretches with alength of five and four nucleotides of the derivatives of Type ASDF-1-binding nucleic acid 192-A10-001 as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B canbe described in a generic formula for the 5′-terminal stretch (‘X₂BBBS’,Type A Formula-6-5′) and of the 3′-terminal stretch (‘SBBVX₃’; Type AFormula-6-3′), whereby X₂ is either absent or is ‘S’ and X₃ is eitherabsent or is ‘S’.

The nucleotide sequence of the 5′-terminal and 3′-terminal stretches hasan influence on the binding affinity of Type A SDF-1-binding nucleicacids. This is not only shown by the nucleic acids 192-F10 and 192-E10,but also by derivatives of 192-A10-001 (FIG. 2B). The core nucleotidesequences of 192-F10 and 192-E10 are identical to 192-B11 and 192-C10,but comprise slight differences at the 3′-end of 5′-terminal stretch andat the 5′-end of 3′-terminal stretch resulting in reduced bindingaffinity.

The substitution of 5′-terminal and 3′-terminal nucleotides ‘CUGUG’ and‘CGCAG’ of Type A SDF-1-binding nucleic acid 192-A10-002 by ‘GCGCG’ and‘CGCGC’ (192-A10-015) resulted in a reduced binding affinity whereassubstitutions by ‘GCGUG’ and ‘CGCGC’ (192-A10-008) resulted in samebinding affinity as shown for 192-A10-002 (FIG. 2B, FIG. 15, FIG. 12,FIG. 16). Additionally, nine derivatives of Type A SDF-1-binding nucleicacid 192-A10-001(192-A10-014/-015/-016/-017/-018/-019/-020/-021/-022/-023) bearing four5′-terminal and 3′-terminal nucleotides, respectively, were tested asaptamers for their binding affinity vs. 192-A10-001 or its derivative192-A10-008 (both have the identical binding affinity to SDF-1). Allclones showed weaker, much weaker or very much weaker binding affinityto SDF-1 as 192-A10-001 (six nucleotides forming a terminal helix) or as192-A10-008 with five terminal nucleotides, respectively (FIG. 2B).Consequently, the sequence and the number of nucleotides of the 5′- and3′-terminal stretches are essential for an effective binding to SDF-1.As shown for Type A SDF-1-binding nucleic acids 192-A10-002 and192-A10-08, the preferred combination of 5′-terminal and 3′-terminalstretches are ‘CUGUG’ and ‘CGCAG’ (5′- and 3′-terminal stretches of TypeA SDF-1-binding nucleic acid 192-A10-002) and ‘GCGUG’ and ‘CGCGC’ (5′-and 3′-terminal stretches of Type A SDF-1-binding nucleic acid192-A10-008).

However, combining the 5′-and 3′-terminal stretches of all tested Type ASDF-1-binding nucleic acids the generic formula for the 5′-terminalstretch of Type A SDF-1-binding nucleic acids is ‘X₁X₂NNBV’ (Type AFormula-7-5′) and the generic formula for the 3′-terminal stretch ofType A SDF-1-binding nucleic acids is ‘BNBNX₃X₄’ (Type A Formula-7-3′),wherein X₁ is ‘R’ or absent, X₂ is ‘S’, X₃ is ‘S’ and X₄ is ‘Y’ orabsent; or X₁ is absent, X₂ is ‘S’ or absent, X₃ is ‘S’ or absent and X₄is absent.

1.2 Type B SDF-1-Binding Nucleic Acids

As depicted in FIG. 3, all sequences of SDF-1-binding nucleic acids ofType B comprise one core nucleotide sequence which is flanked by 5′- and3′-terminal stretches that can hybridize to each other. However, suchhybridization is not necessarily given in the molecule.

The nucleic acids were characterized on the aptamer level using directand competitive pull-down binding assays with biotinylated human D-SDF-1in order to rank them with respect to their binding behaviour (Example4). Selected sequences were synthesized as Spiegelmers (Example 3) andwere tested using the natural configuration of SDF-1 (L-SDF) in a cellculture in vitro chemotaxis assay (Example 5) and by surface plasmonresonance measurement using a Biacore 2000 instrument (Example 6).

The sequences of the defined boxes or stretches may be different betweenthe SDF-1-binding nucleic acids of Type B which influences the bindingaffinity to SDF-1. Based on binding analysis of the differentSDF-1-binding nucleic acids summarized as Type B SDF-1-binding nucleicacids, the core nucleotide sequence and its nucleotide sequences asdescribed in the following are individually and more preferably in theirentirety essential for binding to SDF-1:

The core nucleotide sequence of all identified sequences of Type BSDF-1-binding nucleic acids share the sequence

(SEQ ID NO: 57)

  (Type B Formula-1).The Type B SDF-1-binding nucleic acids 193-G2-001, 193-C2-001 and193-F2-001 that differ in one position of the core nucleotide sequencewere analyzed in a competitive pull-down binding assay vs. the Type ASDF-1-binding nucleic acid 192-A10-001 (K_(D) of 1.5 nM determined in apull-down binding assay [FIG. 11], K_(D) of 1.0 nM determined by surfaceplasmon resonance measurement [FIG. 15], IC₅₀ of 0.12 nM; [FIG. 12]).Each of the three tested Type B SDF-1-binding nucleic acids showedsuperior binding to human SDF-1 in comparison to Type A SDF-1-bindingnucleic acid 192-A10-001 whereby the binding affinity of 193-G2-001 isas good as 193-C2-001 and 193-F2-001 (FIG. 3). The data suggest that thedifference in the nucleotide sequence of the core nucleotide sequence ofType B SDF-1-binding nucleic acids 193-G2-001, 193-C2-001 and 193-F2-001has no influence on the binding affinity to SDF-1. Exemplarily, the TypeB SDF-1-binding nucleic acid 193-G2-001 was characterized for itsbinding affinity to human SDF-1. The equilibrium binding constant K_(D)was determined using the pull-down binding assay (K_(D)=0.3 nM) and bysurface plasmon resonance measurement (K_(D)=0.5 nM, FIG. 17). The IC₅₀(inhibitory concentration 50%) of 0.08 nM for 193-G2-001 was measuredusing a cell culture in vitro chemotaxis assay. In contrast, the Type BSDF-1-binding nucleic acids 193-B3-002, 193-H3-002, 193-E3-002 and193-D1-002 that differ in the sequence of the core nucleotide sequencehave worse binding properties (FIG. 3). As result Type B SDF-1-bindingnucleic acids with improved binding affinity to SDF-1 share a corenucleotide sequence with the sequence

(SEQ ID NO: 58)

  (Type B Formula-2).

Four, five or six nucleotides out of the six nucleotides of the5′-terminal stretch of Type B SDF-1-binding nucleic acids may hybridizeto the respective four, five or six out of the six nucleotides of the3′-terminal stretch of Type B SDF-1-binding nucleic acids to form aterminal helix. Although the nucleotides are variable at severalpositions, the different nucleotides allow the hybridization for four,five or six nucleotides out of the six nucleotides of the 5′- and3′-terminal stretches each. The 5′-terminal and 3′-terminal stretches ofType B SDF-1-binding nucleic acids as shown in FIG. 3 can be summarizedin a generic formula for the 5′-terminal stretch (Type B Formula-3-5′;‘X₁GCRWG’ whereas X₁ is ‘A’ or absent) and of the 3′-terminal stretch(Type B Formula-3-3′; ‘KRYSCX₄’ whereas X₄ is ‘U’ or absent). Type BSDF-1-binding nucleic acids 193-G1-002, 193-D2-002, 193-A1-002 and193-D3-002 have weaker binding affinities to SDF-1 although they sharethe identical core nucleotide sequence (Type B Formula-2) with193-C2-001, 193-G2-001 and 193-F2-001 (FIG. 3). The unfavorable bindingproperties of Type B SDF-1-binding nucleic acids 193-G1-002, 193-D2-002,193-A1-002 and 193-D3-002 may be due to the number of nucleotides andsequence of the 5′-terminal and 3′-terminal stretches.

Truncated derivatives of the Type B SDF-1-binding nucleic acids193-G2-001 and 193-C2-001 were analyzed in a competitive pull-downbinding assay vs. 193-G2-001 and 193-G2-012, respectively (FIGS. 4A and4B). These experiments showed that a reduction of the six terminalnucleotides (5′end: AGCGUG; 3′end: UACGCU) of Type B SDF-1-bindingnucleic acids 193-G2-001 and 193-C2-001 to five nucleotides (5′end:GCGUG; 3′end: UACGC) lead to molecules with similar binding affinity(193-C2-002 and 193-G2-012). The equilibrium dissociation constant K_(D)was determined using the pull-down binding assay (K_(D)=0.3 nM, FIG.18). A truncation to four (5′end: CGUG; 3′end: UACG; 193-C2-003) or lessnucleotides (193-C2-004, 193-C2-005, 193-C2-006, 193-C2-007) resulted ina reduced binding affinity to SDF-1 which was measured by using thecompetition pull-down binding assay (FIG. 4A). The nucleotide sequenceof the five terminal nucleotides at the 5′- and 3′-end, respectively,has an influence on the binding affinity of Type B SDF-1-binding nucleicacids. The substitution of 5′- and 3′-terminal nucleotides ‘GCGUG’ and‘UACGC’ (193-C2-002, 193-G2-12) by ‘GCGCG’ and ‘CGCGC’ (193-G2-013)resulted in a reduced binding affinity. Additionally, the four differentderivatives of Type B SDF-1-binding nucleic acid 193-02-001 with aterminal helix with a length of four base-pairing nucleotides(193-G2-014/-015/-016/-017) were tested. All of them showed reducedbinding affinity to SDF-1 (FIG. 4B). Therefore the sequence and thelength of the 5′-terminal and 3′-terminal nucleotides are essential foran effective binding to SDF-1. The 5′-terminal and 3′-terminal stretcheswith a length of five and four nucleotides of the derivatives of Type BSDF-1-binding nucleic acids 193-C2-003 and 193-G2-012 as shown in FIGS.4A and 4B can be described in a generic formula for the 5′-terminalstretch (‘X₂SSBS’, Type B Formula-4-5′), whereby X₂ is either absent oris ‘G’, and of the 3′-terminal stretch (‘BVSSX₃’, Type B Formula-4-3′),and whereby X₃ is either absent or is ‘C’. As shown for Type BSDF-1-binding nucleic acids 193-G2-001 and 193-C2-01 and theirderivatives 193-G2-012 and 193-C2-002, the preferred combination of 5′-and 3′-terminal stretches are ‘X₁GCGUG’ (5′-terminal stretch; Type BFormula 5-5′) and ‘UACGCX₄’ (3′-terminal stretch; Type B Formula 5-3′),whereas X₁ is either ‘A’ or absent and X₄ is ‘U’ or absent.

However, combining the 5′-and 3′-terminal stretches of all tested Type BSDF-1-binding nucleic acids the generic formula for the 5′-terminalstretch of Type B SDF-1-binding nucleic acids is ‘X₁X₂SVNS’ (Type BFormula-6-5′) and the generic formula for the 3′-terminal stretch Type BSDF-1-binding nucleic acids is ‘BVBSX₃X₄’ (Type B Formula-6-3′), whereinX₁ is ‘A’ or absent, X₂ is ‘G’, X₃ is ‘C’ and X₄ is U or absent; or X₁is absent, X₂ is ‘G’ or absent, X₃ is ‘C’ or absent and X₄ is absent.

1.3 Type C SDF-1-Binding Nucleic Acids

As depicted in FIG. 5, all sequences of SDF-1-binding nucleic acids ofType C comprise one core nucleotide sequence which is flanked by 5′- and3′-terminal stretches that can hybridize to each other. However, suchhybridization is not necessarily given in the molecule.

The nucleic acids were characterized on the aptamer level using directand competitive pull-down binding assays with biotinylated human D-SDF-1in order to rank them with respect to their binding behaviour (Example4). Selected sequences were synthesized as Spiegelmers (Example 3) andwere tested using the natural configuration of SDF-1 (L-SDF) in a cellculture in vitro chemotaxis assay (Example 5) and by surface plasmonresonance measurement using a Biacore 2000 instrument (Example 6).

The sequences of the defined boxes or stretches may be different betweenthe SDF-1-binding nucleic acids of Type C which influences the bindingaffinity to SDF-1. Based on binding analysis of the differentSDF-1-binding nucleic acids summarized as Type C SDF-1-binding nucleicacids, the core nucleotide sequence and its nucleotide sequence asdescribed in the following are individually and more preferably in theirentirety essential for binding to SDF-1:

The core nucleotide sequence of all identified sequences of Type CSDF-1-binding nucleic acids share the sequence

(SEQ ID NO: 90)

 (Type C Formula-1),whereby X_(A) is either absent or is ‘A’. With the exception of Type CSDF-1-binding nucleic acid 197-D1, the core nucleotide sequence of allidentified sequences of Type C SDF-1-binding nucleic acids share thenucleotide sequence

(SEQ ID NO: 91)

 (Type C Formula-2).Type C SDF-1-binding nucleic acid 197-D1 (core nucleotide sequence:

(SEQ ID NO: 88)

)missing one nucleotide ‘A’ within the core nucleotide sequence and stillbinding to SDF-1 let conclude an alternative core nucleotide sequence

(SEQ ID NO: 92) (

, Type C Formula-3).Initially, all Type C SDF-1-binding nucleic acids as depicted in FIG. 5were analyzed in a competitive pull-down binding assay vs. Type ASDF-1-binding nucleic acid 192-A10-001 (K_(D)=1.5 nM determined bypull-down assay and by surface plasmon resonance measurements; IC₅₀=0.12nM). The Type C SDF-1-binding nucleic acids 191-D5-001, 197-B2,190-A3-001, 197-H1, 197-H3 and 197-E3 showed weaker binding affinitiesthan 192-A10-001 in competition experiments. Much weaker bindingaffinity was determined for 191-A5, 197-B1, 197-D1, 197-H2 and 197-D2(FIG. 5). The molecules or derivatives thereof were furthercharacterized by further competitive pull-down binding assays, plasmonresonance measurements and an in vitro chemotaxis assay. The Type CSDF-1-binding nucleic acid 191-D5-001 was characterized for its bindingaffinity to human SDF-1 whereas the equilibrium binding constant K_(D)was determined by surface plasmon resonance measurement (K_(D)=0.8 nM,FIG. 21). The IC₅₀ (inhibitory concentration 50%) of 0.2 nM for191-D5-001 was measured using a cell culture in vitro chemotaxis assay.The binding affinity of Type C SDF-1-binding nucleic acid 197-B2 forhuman SDF-1 was determined by surface plasmon resonance measurement(K_(D)=0.9 nM), its IC₅₀ (inhibitory concentration 50%) of 0.2 nM wasanalyzed in a cell-culture in vitro chemotaxis assay. These dataindicates that Type C SDF-1-binding nucleic acids 191-D5-001 and 197-B2have the similar binding affinity to SDF-1 (FIGS. 5 and 8).

Type C SDF-1-binding nucleic acid 190-A3-001 (48 nt) comprises a5′-terminal stretch of 17 nucleotides and a 3′-terminal stretch of 12nucleotides whereby on the one hand the four nucleotides at the 5′-endof the 5′-terminal stretch and the four nucleotides at the 3′-end of the3′-terminal stretch may hybridize to each other to form a terminalhelix. Alternatively, the nucleotides ‘UGAGA’ in the 5′-terminal stretchmay hybridize to the nucleotides ‘UCUCA’ in the 3′-terminal stretch toform a terminal helix. A reduction to eight nucleotides of the5′-terminal stretch (‘GAGAUAGG’) and to nine nucleotides of the3′-terminal stretch (‘CUGAUUCUC’) of molecule 190-A3-001 (whereby sixout of the eight/nine nucleotides of the 5′-terminal and 3′-terminalstretch can hybridize to each other) does not have an influence on thebinding affinity to SDF-1 (190-A3-004; FIG. 6 and FIG. 19). Theequilibrium binding constant K_(D) of 190-A3-004 was determined usingthe pull-down binding assay (K_(D)=4.6 nM, FIG. 20) and by surfaceplasmon resonance measurement (K_(D)=4.7 nM). The IC₅₀ (inhibitoryconcentration 50%) of 0.1 nM for 190-A3-004 was measured using a cellculture in vitro chemotaxis assay (FIG. 22). However, the truncation totwo nucleotides at the 5′-terminal stretch leads to a very strongreduction of binding affinity (190-A3-007; FIG. 6 and FIG. 19).

The Type C SDF-1-binding nucleic acids 191-D5-001, 197-B2 and 197-H1(core nucleotide sequence

(SEQ ID NO: 79)

),197-H3/191-A5 (core nucleotide sequence:

(SEQ ID NO: 83)

)and 197-E3/197-B1 (core nucleotide sequence:

(SEQ ID NO: 85)

)share an almost identical core nucleotide sequence (Type C formula-4;nucleotide sequence:

(SEQ ID NO: 93)

).191-D5-001, 197-B2 and 197-H1 do not share a similar 5′- and 3′-terminalstretch (197-H3 and 197-E3 have the identical 5′- and 3′-terminalstretch as 197-B2). However, the respective ten (197-B2, 197-E3, 197-H3)or nine out of the ten (191-D5-001, 197-H1) nucleotides of the5′-terminal stretch may hybridize to the respective ten (197-B2, 197-E3,197-H3) or nine out of the ten (191-D5-001, 197-H1) nucleotides of the3′-terminal stretch (FIG. 5). Thus, the 5′-terminal stretch of Type CSDF-1-binding nucleic acids 197-B2, 191-D5-001, 197-H1, 197-E3 and197-H3 as mentioned above plus 191-A5, 197-B1, 197-H2, 197-D1 and 197-D2comprise a common generic nucleotide sequence of ‘RKSBUSNVGR’ (Type CFormula-5-5′) (SEQ ID NO:120). The 3′-terminal stretch of Type CSDF-1-binding nucleic acids 197-B2, 191-D5-001, 197-H1, 197-E3, and197-H3 as mentioned above plus 191-A5, 197-B1, 197-H2, 197-D1 and 197-D2comprise a common generic nucleotide sequence of ‘YYNRCASSMY’ (Type CFormula-5-3′) (SEQ ID NO:121), whereby the 5′ and the 3′-terminalstretches of Type C SDF-1-binding nucleic acids 197-B2, 191-D5-001,197-H1, 197-E3 and 197-H3 are preferred. These preferred 5′-terminal and3′-terminal stretches of Type C SDF-1-binding nucleic acids 197-B2,191-D5-001, 197-H1, 197-E3 and 197-H3 can be summarized in the genericformula ‘RKSBUGSVGR’ (Type C Formula-6-5′; 5′-terminal stretch) (SEQ IDNO:122) and ‘YCNRCASSMY’ (Type C Formula-6-3′; 3′-terminal stretch) (SEQID NO:123).

Truncated derivatives of Type C SDF-1-binding nucleic acid 191-D5-001were constructed and tested in a competitive pull-down binding assay vs.the original molecule 191-D5-001 (FIG. 7A, FIG. 7B and FIG. 19). Atfirst the length of the 5′-terminal and 3′-terminal stretches wereshortened from ten nucleotides (191-D5-001) each to seven nucleotideseach (191-D5-004) as depicted in FIG. 7A whereby nine out of the ten(191-D5-001) or six out of the seven nucleotides (191-D5-004) of the5′-terminal stretch and of the 3′-terminal stretch, respectively, canhybridize to each other. The reduction to seven nucleotides of the 5′-and 3′-terminal stretch, respectively (whereas six out of the sevennucleotides can hybridize to each other) led to reduced binding affinityto SDF-1 (191-D5-004). The terminal stretches of Type C SDF-1-bindingnucleic acid 191-D5-004 were modified whereby the non-pairing nucleotide‘A’ within the 3′-terminal stretch of 191-D5-004 was substituted by a‘C’ (191-D5-005). This modification led to an improvement of binding.This derivative, Type C SDF-1-binding nucleic acid 191-D5-005, showedsimilar binding to SDF-1 as 191-D5-001. Further truncation of the5′-terminal and 3′-terminal stretch to five nucleotides respectively ledto a molecule with a length of total 29 nucleotides (191-D5-007).Because of the similarities of 191-D5-001 and of the Type CSDF-1-binding nucleic acids 197-B2, 191-D5-001, 197-H1, 191-A5, 197-H3,197-B1, 197-E3, 197-D1, 197-H2 and 197-D2 and because of the data shownfor 191-D5-007, it may assume that the 5′-terminal and 3′-terminalstretch can in principle be truncated down to five nucleotides wherebythe nucleotide sequence ‘CGGGA’ for the 5′-terminal stretch and ‘UCCCG’for the 3′-terminal stretch were successfully tested (Type CSDF-1-binding nucleic acid 191-D5-007). Type C SDF-1-binding nucleicacid 191-D5-007 surprisingly binds somewhat better to SDF-1 than191-D5-001 (determined on aptamer level using the competition bindingassay). The equilibrium binding constant K_(D) of 191-D5-007 wasdetermined using the pull-down binding assay (K_(D)=2.2 nM, FIG. 20) andby surface plasmon resonance measurement (K_(D)=0.8 nM, FIG. 21). TheIC₅₀ (inhibitory concentration 50%) of 0.1 nM for 191-D5-007 wasmeasured using a cell culture in vitro chemotaxis assay. A nucleic acidwith further truncation of both terminal stretches to four nucleotides(191-D5-010, FIG. 7A) was tested.

Further derivatives of Type C SDF-1-binding nucleic acid 191-D5-001(191-D5-017/-024/-029) bearing 5′-terminal and 3′-terminal stretches offour nucleotides also showed reduced binding affinity to SDF-1 in thecompetition pull-down binding assay vs. 191-D5-007 (FIG. 7B).Alternative 5′-terminal and 3′-terminal stretches with a length of fivenucleotides were additionally tested (191-D5-017-29a, 191-D5-017-29b,191-D5-019-29a, 191-D5-024-29a and 191-D5-024-29b). The generic formulaof these derivatives for the 5′-terminal stretch is ‘X_(S)SSSV’ (Type CFormula-7-5′) (SEQ ID NO:124) and for the 3′-stretch is ‘BSSSX_(S)’ TypeC Formula-7-3′) (SEQ ID NO:125), whereby X_(S) is absent or S. Two outof the five tested variants showed identical binding affinity to SDF-1as 191-D5-007 (191-D5-024-29a and 191-D5-024-29b; FIG. 7B). Thesequences of the 5′-terminal and 3′-terminal stretches of191-D5-001-derivatives that show the best binding affinity to SDF-1 andcomprise a 5′-terminal and 3′-terminal stretch of five nucleotidesrespectively (191-D5-007, 191-D5-024-29a and 191-D5-024-29b) can besummarized in a generic formula (5′-terminal stretch: SGGSR, Type CFormula-8-5′ (SEQ ID NO:126); 3′-terminal stretch: YSCCS, Type CFormula-8-3′) (SEQ ID NO:127).

Truncated derivatives of Type C SDF-1-binding nucleic acid 197-B2 wereanalyzed in a competitive pull-down binding assay vs. the originalmolecule 197-B2 and 191-D5-007 (FIG. 8). Using the competitive pull-downbinding assay vs. 191-D5-007, it was shown that 197-B2 has the samebinding affinity to SDF-1 as 191-D5-007. The 5′-terminal and 3′-terminalstretches were shortened without loss of binding affinity from tennucleotides (197-B2) each to five nucleotides each (197-B2-005) wherebythe nucleotides of the 5′-terminal stretch and of the 3′-terminalstretch can completely hybridize to each other. If the 5′-terminal(‘GCGGG’) and 3′-terminal (‘CCUGC’) stretch of 197-B2-005 wassubstituted by ‘GCCGG’ (5′-terminal stretch) and by ‘CCGGC’ (3′-terminalstretch) of 197-B2-006, the binding affinity to SDF-1 fully persisted.Because 197-B2 and 191-D5-001 (and their derivatives) share theidentical core nucleotide sequence

(SEQ ID NO: 79) (

)and several derivatives of 191-D5 with 5′-terminal and 3′-terminalstretches with a length of four nucleotides were tested, a furthertruncation of the 5′-terminal and 3′-terminal stretch was omitted. Twofurther derivatives were designed that comprise six nucleotides at the5′-end and 3′-end (5′-terminal and 3′-terminal stretches), respectively.The binding affinity to SDF-1 of both molecules (197-B2-006-31a and197-B2-006-31b) is the same as shown for 191-D5-007 and 197-B2-006 (FIG.8). The sequences of the 5′-terminal and 3′-terminal stretches of 197-B2derivatives that show the best binding affinity to SDF-1 and comprise a5′-terminal and 3′-terminal stretch of five nucleotides can besummarized in a generic formula (5′-terminal stretch: GCSGG, Type CFormula-9-5′ (SEQ ID NO:128); 3′-terminal stretch: CCKGC, Type CFormula-9-3′ (SEQ ID NO:129).

Combining the preferred 5′-stretches and 3′-stretches of truncatedderivatives of Type C SDF-1-binding nucleic acids 191-D5-001(5′-terminal stretch: SGGSR, Type C Formula-8-5′ (SEQ ID NO:126);3′-terminal stretch: YSCCS, Type C Formula-8-3′ (SEQ ID NO:127)) and197-B2 (5′-terminal stretch: GCSGG, Type C Formula-9-5′ (SEQ ID NO:128);3′-terminal stretch: CCKGC, Type C Formula-9-3′ (SEQ ID NO:129)) thecommon preferred generic formula for the 5′-terminal and the 3′-terminalstretch is SSSSR (5′-terminal stretch, Type C Formula-10-5′ (SEQ IDNO:130)) and YSBSS (3′-terminal stretch: Type C Formula-10-3′ (SEQ IDNO:131)).

1.4 Further SDF-1-Binding Nucleic Acids

Additionally, three further SDF-1-binding nucleic acids that do notshare the SDF-1-binding motifs of ‘Type A’, ‘Type B’ and ‘Type C’ wereidentified. There were analyzed as aptamers using the pull-down bindingassay (FIG. 9).

It is to be understood that any of the sequences shown in FIGS. 1through 9 are nucleic acids according to the present invention,including those truncated forms thereof, but also including thoseextended forms thereof under the proviso, however, that the thustruncated and extended, respectively, nucleic acid molecules are stillcapable of binding to the target.

EXAMPLE 2 40 kda-PEG and other Modification of SDF-Binding Spiegelmers

In order to prolong the Spiegelmer's plasma residence time in vivo, theSpiegelmers 193-G2-012, 192-A10-008, 191-D5-007, 197-B2-006 and197-B2-006-31b were covalently coupled to a 40 kDa polyethylene glycol(PEG) moiety at the 5′-end as described in Example 3 (PEGylated-clones:193-G2-012-5′-PEG, 192-A10-008-5′PEG, 191-D5-007-5′PEG, 197-B2-006-5′PEGand 197-B2-006-31b-5′PEG).

The PEGylated Spiegelmer molecules were analyzed in a cell culture invitro TAX-assay (Example 5) and by plasmon resonance measurements usinga Biacore (Example 6). All 40 kDa-PEG-modified Spiegelmers are stillable to inhibit SDF-1 induced chemotaxis and to bind to SDF-1 in lownanomolar range (FIG. 23A, 23B, 24A and FIG. 24B).

Additionally, SDF-binding Spiegelmer 192-A10-001 was modified with 40kDa-PEG, 30 kDa-PEG, 100 kDa-HES or 130 kDa-HES (PEGylated-clones:192-A10-001-5′PEG40, 192-A10-001-5′PEG30, 192-A10-001-5′HES100,192-A10-001-5′HES130; coupling procedure in Example 3). As depicted inFIG. 25A and FIG. 25B neither a PEG moiety nor a HES moiety has aninfluence on Spiegelmers potency to inhibit SDF-1 induced chemotaxis.

EXAMPLE 3 Synthesis and Derivatization of Aptamers and Spiegelmers 3.1Small Scale Synthesis

Aptamers and Spiegelmers were produced by solid phase synthesis with anABI 394 synthesizer (Applied Biosystems, Foster City, Calif., USA) using2′TBDMS RNA phosphoramidite chemistry (Damha and Ogilvie, 1993).rA(N-Bz)-, rC(Ac)-, rG(N-ibu)-, and rU-phosphoramidites in the D- andL-configuration were purchased from ChemGenes, Wilmington, Mass.Aptamers and Spiegelmers were purified by gel electrophoresis.

3.2 Large Scale Synthesis Plus Modification

The Spiegelmers were produced by solid phase synthesis with anÄktaPilot100 synthesizer (Amersham Biosciences; General ElectricHealthcare, Freiburg) using 2′TBDMS RNA phosphoramiditc chemistry (Damhaand Ogilvie, 1993). L-rA(N-Bz)-, L-rC(Ac)-, L-rG(N-ibu)-, andL-rU-phosphoramidites were purchased from ChemGenes (Wilmington, Mass.,USA). The 5′-amino-modifier was purchased from American InternationalChemicals Inc. (Framingham, Mass., USA). Synthesis of the Spiegelmerswas started on L-riboG; L-riboC, L-riboA and L-riboU with modified CPGof pore size 1000 Å (Link Technology, Glasgow, UK). For coupling (15 minper cycle), 0.3 M benzylthiotetrazole (American International ChemicalsInc., Framingham, Mass., USA) in acetonitrile, and 3.5 equivalents ofthe respective 0.2 M phosphoramidite solution in acetonitrile were used.An oxidation capping cycle was used. Further standard solvents andreagents for oligonucleotide synthesis were purchased from Biosolve(Valkenswaard, NL). The Spiegelmers were synthesized DMT-ON; afterdeprotection, it was purified via preparative RP-HPLC (Wincott F. etal., 1995) using Source15RPC medium (Amersham). The 5′DMT group wasremoved with 80% acetic acid (90 min at RT). Subsequently, aqueous 2 MNaOAc solution was added and the Spiegelmer was desalted by tangentialflow filtration using a 5 K regenerated cellulose membrane (Millipore,Bedford, Mass.).

3.3 PEGylation

In order to prolong the Spiegelmer's plasma residence time in vivo, theSpiegelmers were covalently coupled to a 40 kDa polyethylene glycol(PEG) moiety at the 5′-end.

For PEGylation (for technical details of the method for PEGylation seeEuropean patent application EP 1 306 382), the purified 5′-aminomodified Spiegelmers were dissolved in a mixture of H₂O (2.5 ml), DMF (5ml), and buffer A (5 ml; prepared by mixing citric acid•H₂O [7 g], boricacid [3.54 g], phosphoric acid [2.26 ml], and 1 M NaOH [343 ml] andadding water to a final volume of 11; pH=8.4 was adjusted with 1 M HCl).

The pH of the Spiegelmer solution was brought to 8.4 with 1 M NaOH.Then, 40 kDa PEG-NHS ester (Nektar Therapeutics, Huntsville, Ala.) wasadded at 37° C. every 30 min in six portions of 0.25 equivalents until amaximal yield of 75 to 85% was reached. The pH of the reaction mixturewas kept at 8-8.5 with 1 M NaOH during addition of the PEG-NHS ester.

The reaction mixture was blended with 4 ml urea solution (8 M) and 4 mlbuffer B (0.1 M triethylammonium acetate in H₂O) and heated to 95° C.for 15 min. The PEGylated Spiegelmer was then purified by RP-HPLC withSource 15RPC medium (Amersham), using an acetonitrile gradient (bufferB; buffer C: 0.1 M triethylammonium acetate in acetonitrile). Excess PEGeluted at 5% buffer C, PEGylated Spiegelmer at 10-15% buffer C. Productfractions with a purity of >95% (as assessed by HPLC) were combined andmixed with 40 ml 3 M NaOAC. The PEGylated Spiegelmer was desalted bytangential flow filtration (5 K regenerated cellulose membrane,Millipore, Bedford MA).

3.4 HESylation

In order to prolong the Spiegelmer's plasma residence time in vivo, theSpiegelmers were covalently coupled to Hydroxyl Ethyl Starch (HES) ofvarious molecular weights of >130 kDa and substitution degree >0.5. The5′-end of the Spiegelmer is the preferred site for conjugation.

For HESylation (for technical details of the method for HESylation ofnucleic acids see German Offenlegungsschrift DE 101 12 825 A1, and forD/L-nucleic acids PCT WO 02/080979 A2), the purified 5′-amino modifiedSpiegelmer was dissolved in sodium bicarbonate (0.3 M, 1 ml) and the pHis adjusted to 8.5.

In respect to the Spiegelmer, a 5-fold excess of the free HES acid (3.3mmol, Supramol, Rosbach, Germany) and di(N-succinimidyl) carbonate (3.3mmol) were added to N,N-dimethylformamide (1 ml) to yield a solution ofthe activated N-hydroxysuccimide ester of HES. To dissolve all reactantsthe mixture was stirred briefly at 60° C., cooled to 25° C. and thenstirred for 1.5 h at 25° C. The solution of Spiegelmer was added to thesolution of activated HES, and the resulting mixture was stirred at 25°C. and pH 8.5. The reaction was monitored by analytical IEX-HPLC.Typically, the conjugation proceeded to >75% within 1 hr.

For IEX-HPLC purification via Source 15Q medium (GE, Freiburg, Germany),the reaction mixture was blended with a 10-fold quantity of buffer A (1mM EDTA, 25 mM Tris, 10 mM NaClO4 in water/acetonitrile 9:1, pH 4).Excess HES elutes at 5% buffer A (1 mM EDTA, 25 mM Tris, 500 mM NaClO4in water/acetonitrile 9:1, pH 4), whereas the HES-Spiegelmer conjugateelutes at 20-30% buffer B. Product fractions with a purity of >95% (asassessed by HPLC) were combined and desalted by tangential flowfiltration (5 K regenerated cellulose membrane, Millipore, BedfordMass.).

EXAMPLE 4 Determination of Binding Constants (Pull-Down Binding Assay)4.1 Direct Pull-Down Binding Assay

The affinity of aptamers to biotinylated human D-SDF-1 was measured in apull-down binding assay format at 37° C. Aptamers were 5′-phosphatelabeled by T4 polynucleotide kinase (Invitrogen, Karlsruhe, Germany)using [γ-³²P]-labeled ATP (Hartmann Analytic, Braunschweig, Germany).The specific radioactivity of labeled aptamers was 200,000-800,000cpm/pmol. Aptamers were incubated after de- and renaturation at 10, 20,30 or 40 pM concentration at 37° C. in selection buffer (20 mM Tris-HClpH 7.4; 137 mM NaCl; 5 mM KCl; 1 mM MgCl₂; 1 mM CaCl₂; 0.1% [w/vol]Tween-20) together with varying amounts of biotinylated human D-SDF-1for 4-12 hours in order to reach equilibrium at low concentrations.Selection buffer was supplemented with 10 μg/ml human serum albumin(Sigma-Aldrich, Steinheim, Germany), and 10 μg/ml yeast RNA (Ambion,Austin, USA) in order to prevent adsorption of binding partners withsurfaces of used plastic ware or the immobilization matrix. Theconcentration range of biotinylated human D-SDF-1 was set from 8 pM to100 nM; total reaction volume was 1 ml. Peptide and peptide-aptamercomplexes were immobilized on 1.5 μl Streptavidin Ultralink Plusparticles (Pierce Biotechnology, Rockford, USA) which had beenpreequilibrated with selection buffer and resuspended in a total volumeof 6 μl. Particles were kept in suspension for 30 min at the respectivetemperature in a thermomixer. Immobilized radioactivity was quantifiedin a scintillation counter after detaching the supernatant andappropriate washing The percentage of binding was plotted against theconcentration of biotinylated human D-SDF-1 and dissociation constantswere obtained by using software algorithms (GRAFIT; Erithacus Software;Surrey U.K.) assuming a 1:1 stoichiometry.

4.2 Competitive Pull-Down Binding Assay

In order to compare different D-SDF-1-binding aptamers, a competitiveranking assay was performed. For this purpose the most affine aptameravailable was radioactively labeled (see above) and served as reference.After denaturation and renaturation it was incubated at 37° C. withbiotinylated human D-SDF-1 in 1 ml selection buffer at conditions thatresulted in around 5-10% binding to the peptide after immobilization andwashing on NeutrAvidin agarose or Streptavidin Ultralink Plus (both fromPierce) without competition. An excess of de- and renatured non-labeledD-RNA aptamer variants was added to different concentrations (e.g. 2,10, and 50 nM) with the labeled reference aptamer to parallel bindingreactions. The aptamers to be tested competed with the reference aptamerfor target binding, thus decreasing the binding signal in dependence oftheir binding characteristics. The aptamer that was found most active inthis assay could then serve as a new reference for comparative analysisof further aptamer variants.

EXAMPLE 5 Analysis of the Inhibition of SDF-1-Induced Chemotaxis bySDF-1-Binding Spiegelmers

Jurkat human T cell leukemia cells (obtained from DSMZ, Braunschweig)were cultivated at 37° C. and 5% CO₂ in RPMI 1640 medium with Glutamax(Invitrogen, Karlsruhe, Germany) which contains 10% fetal bovine serum,100 units/ml penicillin and 100 μg/ml streptomycin (Invitrogen,Karlsruhe, Germany). One day before the experiment, cells were seeded ina new flask with a density of 0.3×10⁶/ml (9×10⁶/30 ml) in standardmedium (Invitrogen, Karlsruhe, Germany).

For the experiment, cells were centrifuged (5 min at 300 g),resuspended, counted and washed once with 15 ml HBH (Hanks balanced saltsolution containing 1 mg/ml bovine serum albumin and 20 mM HEPES;Invitrogen, Karlsruhe, Germany). Then the cells were resuspended at3×10⁶/ml or 1.33×10⁶/ml, depending on the type of filter plate used.Cells were then allowed to migrate through the porous membranes of thefilter plates for several hours towards a solution containing SDF-1 andvarious amounts of Spiegelmer. Either Transwell plates and inserts withporous Polycarbonate membrane, 5 μm pore size (Corning; 3421) orMultiScreen MIC plates (Millipore, MAMIC5S10) were used.

5.1 Protocol for Transwell Plates

The stimulation solutions (SDF-1+various concentrations of Spiegelmer)were made up in 600 μl HBH in the lower compartments of the Transwellplates and incubated for 20-30 min. All conditions were made up at leasttwice. The inserts were transferred to the wells containing thestimulation solutions and 100 μl of a cell suspension with 3×10⁶/ml wereadded to the inserts (3×10⁵ cells/well). The cells were then allowed tomigrate for 3 h at 37° C.

Thereafter, the inserts were removed and 60 μl resazurin (Sigma,Deisenhofen, Germany) working solution (440 μM in PBS; Biochrom, Berlin,Germany) were added to the wells (also to calibration wells). The plateswere then incubated at 37° C. for 2.5 to 3 h. After incubation, 200 μlof each well were transferred to a black 96-well plate. Measurement ofthe fluorescence signals was done at 544 nm (excitation) and 590 nm(emission) in a Fluostar Optima multidetection plate reader (BMG,Offenburg, Germany).

5.2 Protocol for Millipore MultiScreen Plates

The stimulation solutions (SDF-1+various concentrations of Spiegelmer)were made up as 10× solutions in a 0.2 ml low profile 96-tube plate. HBH(135 μl) were pipetted into the lower compartments of the MultiScreenplate and 15 μl of the stimulation solutions were added. All conditionswere made up as triplicates. After 20 to 30 min the filter plate wasinserted into the plate containing the stimulation solutions and 75 μlof a cell suspension with 1.33×10⁶/ml were added to the wells of thefilter plate (1×10⁵ cells/well). The cells were then allowed to migratefor 3 h at 37° C.

Thereafter, the insert plate is removed and 20 μl resazurin workingsolution (440 μM in PBS) are added to the lower wells. The plates werethen incubated at 37° C. for 2.5 to 3 h.

After incubation, 100 μl of each well were transferred to a black96-well plate. Measurement of the fluorescence signals was performed asdescribed above.

5.3 Evaluation

For evaluation, fluorescence values were corrected for backgroundfluorescence (no cells in well). Then the differences betweenexperimental conditions with and without SDF-1 were calculated. Thevalue for the sample without Spiegelmer (SDF-1 only) was set at 100% andthe values for the samples with Spiegelmer were calculated as a per centof this. For a dose response curve the per cent values were plottedagainst Spiegelmer concentration and the IC₅₀ value (concentration ofSpiegelmer at which 50% of the activity without Spiegelmer is present)was determined graphically from the resulting curve.

5.4 Results 5.4.1 Dose-Dependent Stimulation of Jurkat Cells by HumanSDF-1

Human SDF-1 was found to stimulate migration of Jurkat cells in a dosedependent manner, with half-maximal stimulation at about 0.3 nM (FIG.11).

5.4.2 Dose-Dependent Inhibition of Human SDF-1-Induced Chemotaxis bySDF-1-Binding Spiegelmers

When cells were allowed to migrate towards a solution containing humanSDF-1 plus increasing concentrations of SDF-1-binding Spiegelmers,dose-dependent inhibition was observed. The respective IC50s of thetested Spiegelmers are specified in Example 1. When an unspecificControl Spiegelmer was used instead of SDF-1-binding Spiegelmers, noinhibitory effect was observed up to 1 μM (FIG. 26).

5.4.3 Dose-Dependant Inhibition of Mouse SDF-1-Induced Chemotaxis bySDF-1-Binding Spiegelmers

SDF-1 is well conserved across species: SDF-1 from mouse differs fromhuman SDF-1a in one amino acid (isoleucine at position 18 instead ofvaline). Murine SDF-1 can stimulate chemotaxis of Jurkat cells (FIG. 27)and this action was found to be inhibited by Spiegelmers 192-A10-001 and191-D5-007-5′-PEG with the same potency as in the case of human SDF-1(FIG. 28).

EXAMPLE 6 Binding Analysis by Surface Plasmon Resonance Measurement

The Biacore 2000 instrument (Biacore AB, Uppsala, Sweden) was used toanalyze binding of Spiegelmers to human SDF-1α. When coupling of SDF-1αwas to be achieved via amine groups, SDF-1α was dialyzed against waterfor 1-2 h (Millipore VSWP mixed cellulose esters; pore size, 0.025 μM)to remove interfering amines. CM4 sensor chips (Biacore AB, Uppsala,Sweden) were activated before protein coupling by a 35 μl injection of a1:1 dilution of 0.4 M NHS and 0.1 M EDC at a flow of 5 μl/min. Chemokinewas then injected in concentrations of 0.1-1.5 μg/ml at a flow of 2μl/min until the instrument's response was in the range of 1000-2000 RU(relative units). Unreacted NHS esters were deactivated by injection of35 μl ethanolamine hydrochloride solution (pH 8.5) at a flow of 5μl/min. The sensor chip was primed twice with binding buffer andequilibrated at 10 μl/min for 1-2 hours until the baseline appearedstable. For all proteins, kinetic parameters and dissociation constantswere evaluated by a series of Spiegelmer injections at concentrations of1000, 500, 250, 125, 62.5, 31.25, and 0 nM in selection buffer(Tris-HCl, 20 mM; NaCl, 137 mM; KCl, 5 mM; CaCl₂, 1 mM; MgCl₂, 1 mM;Tween 20, 0.1% [w/v]; pH 7.4). In all experiments, the analysis wasperformed at 37° C. using the Kinject command defining an associationtime of 180 and a dissociation time of 360 seconds at a flow of 10μl/min. Data analysis and calculation of dissociation constants (K_(D))was done with the BIAevaluation 3.0 software (BIACORE AB, Uppsala,Sweden) using the Langmuir 1:1 stoichiometric fitting algorithm.

EXAMPLE 7 Inhibition of [¹²⁵I]-SDF-1-Binding to CXCR4 Expressing Cellsby SDF-1-Binding Spiegelmers 7.1 Method

A cDNA clone coding for human CXCR4-receptor (NM_(—)003467.2) waspurchased from OriGene Technologies (Rockville, Md.) and cloned into thepCR3.1-vector (Invitrogen, Karlsruhe, Germany). The resulting vector wastransfected into CHO-K1 cells (DSMZ, Braunschweig, Germany) usingLipofectamine 2000 (Invitrogen) and stable expressing cell lines wereselected by treatment with geneticin. Expression of receptors wasverified by RT-PCR.

For binding assays CXCR4-expressing cells were seeded intopolylysine-coated 24-well plates at a cell density of 1×10⁵ cells/welland cultivated overnight at 37° C. and 5% CO₂ in CHO-Ultra medium(Cambrex, Verviers, Belgium) containing 50 units/ml penicillin, 50 μg/mlstreptomycin and 0.5 mg/ml geneticin.

For the binding experiment, the medium was removed and the cells werewashed once with Hanks balanced salt solution, additionally containing20 mM HEPES, 1 mg/ml bovine serum albumin, 0.1 mg/ml bacitracin (HBB).Then the cells were incubated in 0.2 ml HBB for 1 h at room temperaturetogether with 50 pM [¹²⁵I]-1 (PerkinElmer, Rodgau, Germany) and varyingconcentrations of Spiegelmer.

Non-specific binding was determined by adding unlabeled human SDF-1 (R &D Systems, Wiesbaden, Germany) to a final concentration of 0.5 μM toseveral wells.

After the incubation period, the supernatant was removed and the wellswere washed 3 times with ice cold HBB. Thereafter, the cells were lysedwith 0.1 ml 0.1 M NaOH. Lysates were transferred into scintillationvials and after addition of 4 ml Unisafe 1 Liquid scintillation cocktail(Zinsser, Frankfurt, Germany) were counted in a Beckman LS6500scintillation counter.

Since the values for non-specific binding (binding in the presence ofhigh amount of unlabeled SDF-1) were somewhat higher than the values fortotal binding in the presence of high concentrations (500 pM) ofSpiegelmer, the difference between maximal binding (“max”) and bindingin the presence of 500 pM Spiegelmer was used for calculation ofIC₅₀-values.

7.2 Results

Plotting bound [¹²⁵I]-SDF-1 against Spiegelmer concentration revealedthat binding of SDF-1 could be blocked by Spiegelmer 192-A10-001 with anIC₅₀ of about 60 pM (FIG. 29).

EXAMPLE 8 Inhibition of SDF-1-Induced MAP-Kinase Activation bySDF-1-Binding Spiegelmers 8.1 Method

CXCR4-expressing CHO cells were seeded in 6-well plates at a density of0.5×10⁶ cells/well and cultivated for about three hours at 37° C. and 5%CO₂ in CHO-Ultra medium (Cambrex, Verviers, Belgium) containing 50units/ml penicillin, 50 μg/ml streptomycin and 0.5 mg/ml geneticin.After cell attachment, the medium was removed and replaced by Ham's F12medium containing 50 units/ml penicillin, 50 μg/ml streptomycin. Cellswere then incubated overnight at 37° C. and 5% CO₂. Three hours beforestimulation, the medium was replaced once more with fresh Ham's F12medium. Cells were stimulated with human (1 nM) SDF-1 and variousamounts of Spiegelmer for 5 or 10 minutes. Thereafter, the medium wasremoved and the cells were quickly washed once with 1 ml ice coldphosphate buffered saline (PBS), followed by lysis with SDS samplebuffer (Tris/HCl, pH 6.8, 62.5 mM; glycerol, 10%; SDS, 2%;bromophenolblue, 0.01%; beta-mercaptoethanol, 5%). One μl of a 0.5 u/μlBenzonase solution (Merck, Darmstadt, Germany) was added to each welland after incubation for 5 to 10 min at room temperature, lysates weretransferred to Eppendorf tubes, incubated at 95° C. for 5 min and storedat −20° C. until further analysis.

About 25 μl of the lysates were separated on 10% denaturingSDS-polyacrylamide gels. Proteins were then transferred byelectroblotting onto HybondECL nitrocellulose membranes (Amersham/GEHealthcare, Munich, Germany). After blotting, the membranes were stainedwith Ponceau-red (0.2% in 3% trichloroacetic acid) for control ofprotein loading and transfer and then blocked by incubation in TBS-T(Tris-buffered saline (20 mM Tris/HCl, pH 7.6, 137 mM NaCl) with 0.1%Tween 20) containing 10% nonfat dried milk at 2-8° C. overnight.

The membrane was then incubated with a rabbit anti-Phospho-MAP kinaseantibody (1:1000 in 10% milk in TBS-T) for 2 h at room temperature.After washing three times for 5 min with TBS-T, the membrane wasincubated with anti-rabbit-IgG-HRP conjugate (1:2000 in 10% milk inTBS-T) for 1 h at room temperature. Then the membrane was again washedthree times for 5 min with TBS-T, followed by incubation for 1 min inLumiGlo^(R) chemiluminescent reagent. Luminescence was detected byexposure to Hyperfilm™ECL chemiluminescence films (Amersham/GEHealthcare) for 30 seconds to 2 minutes. The antibodies and theluminescence detection reagent were components of the PhosphoPlus p44/42MAP Kinase (Thr202/Tyr204) Antibody kit from Cell Signaling Technology(New England Biolabs, Frankfurt a.M., Germany)

8.2 Results

Stimulation of CXCR4-expressing cells with 1 nM human SDF-1 for 5 minled to a profound stimulation of MAP kinase, indicated by an increase inintensity of the band reflecting activated MAP kinase. This activationof MAP kinase could be dose dependently inhibited by Spiegelmer191-A10-001 (FIG. 30).

EXAMPLE 9 Functional Analysis of Human SDF-1-Binding Spiegelmer193-G2-012-5′-PEG in an Aortic Ring Sprouting Assay

To test whether human SDF-1-binding Spiegelmer 193-G2-012-5′-PEG isfunctional also in a standard angiogenesis organ culture assay, aorticring sprouting assays were performed. This assay, in which the lengthand abundance of vessel-like extensions from the explants are evaluated,has become the most widely used organ culture model for angiogenesis(Auerbach et al. 2003). It has already been shown that SDF-1 inducessprouting in this type of assay (Salcedo et al. 1999).

Rat aortae were cut into rings, embedded in a collagen matrix andincubated with SDF-1 and SDF-1 plus human SDF-1-binding Spiegelmer193-G2-012-5′-PEG or SDF plus a non-functional PEGylated ControlSpiegelmer that does not bind SDF-1. After 6 to 7 days, sprouting (i.e.outgrowth of endothelial cells) was analysed by taking pictures anddetermining a sprouting index.

Method

Aortae from male rats were obtained from Bagheri Life sciences (Berlin,Germany). The aortae were prepared freshly and transported on ice inMCDB 131-Medium (Invitrogen, Karlsruhe, Germany) containing 50 units/mlpenicillin, 50 μg/ml streptomycin (both Invitrogen, Karlsruhe, Germany)and 2.5 μg/ml fungizone (Cambrex, USA).

For an experiment, a single aorta was transferred to a cell culture dishtogether with the medium and residual connective tissue was removed.Then the aorta was cut with a scalpel into rings of about 1 to 2 mmlength. The rings were washed intensively (at least five times) inMedium 199 (Invitrogen, Karlsruhe, Germany) and then placed in wells ofa 24-well plate, containing 450 μl of collagen solution per well. Thiscollagen solution was prepared by mixing 9 ml rat tail collagen (3 mg/mlin 0.1% acetic acid; Sigma, Deisenhofen, Germany) with 1.12 ml 10×Medium 199 (Invitrogen, Karlsruhe, Germany), 1,12 ml 10× collagen buffer(0.05 N NaOH, 200 mM HEPES, 260 mM NaHCO₃) and 0.6 ml 200 mM glutamine.The rings were oriented such that the trimmed edges were perpendicularto the bottom of the well. The collagen was allowed to solidify byincubating the plates for at least one hour at 37° C. Thereafter, 1 mlMCDB131-medium with additions (SDF-1 and Spiegelmers) was added perwell. Rings were then incubated at 37° C. for six to seven days. Ascontrol for sprouting, the experiments were additionally done with VEGF(vascular endothelial growth factor).

Sprouting was documented by taking pictures with a digital camera. Insome cases, rings were fixed by addition of 1 ml 10% paraformaldehydeand stored at 2-8° C. for further documentation. Pictures were analysedwith the Scion Image image processing software. After calibration withthe help of a picture taken from a stage micrometer, a line was drawn ina distance of 0.33 mm from one edge of a ring. A plot histogram alongthis line was generated by the software, histograms were printed andpeaks (representing sprouts crossing the line) were counted. This numberwas taken as sprouting index. Four to 5 rings per condition wereevaluated. Statistical analysis was performed with WinSTAT for Excel.

Results

It could be demonstrated that SDF-1 induces sprouting and that thiseffect could be blocked with human SDF-1-binding Spiegelmer193-G2-012-5′-PEG. No blockage of SDF-1 induced sprouting was observedby the non-functional PEGylated Control Spiegelmer (FIGS. 31 and 32).

EXAMPLE 10 Plasma Level of SDF-1 and Human SDF-1-Binding Spiegelmer193-G2-012-5′-PEG Administered to Rats as Single Intravenous Bolus ofHuman SDF-1-Binding Spiegelmer 193-G2-012-5′-PEG

To test whether the human SDF-1-binding Spiegelmer 193-G2-012-5′-PEG isfunctional in vivo, human SDF-1-binding Spiegelmer 193-G2-012-5′-PEG wasadministered into rats as an intravenous bolus and the plasma level ofhuman SDF-1-binding Spiegelmer 193-G2-012-5′-PEG and of SDF-1 weredetermined. As control the SDF-1 plasma levels of untreated rats weredetermined.

Animals, Administration and Sample Collection

Human SDF-1-binding Spiegelmer 193-G2-012-5′-PEG was dissolved in PBS toa final concentration of 0.5 mg/ml and sterile filtered. Male SpragueDawley rats (weight approximately 300 g) were administered with 1.0mg/kg human SDF-1-binding Spiegelmer 193-G2-012-5′-PEG as singleintravenous bolus. Blood samples were collected at several time points(as shown in FIG. 33) to follow the plasma clearance of humanSDF-1-binding Spiegelmer 193-G2-012-5′-PEG.

Sandwich Hybridisation Assay for Quantification of Spiegelmer

The amount of human SDF-1-binding Spiegelmer 193-G2-012-5′-PEG in thesamples was quantified by a sandwich hybridisation assay. The principleof the sandwich hybridisation assay is quite similar to a commonly usedELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay): immobilization and detectionof the Spiegelmer. The detection is based on the hybridisation of abiotinylated detect probe to one end of the Spiegelmer. The remainingsingle-stranded end of the Spiegelmer mediates immobilization of thecomplex upon hybridisation to an immobilized capture probe. Afterunbound complexes have been removed, the detect probe hybridised to theSpiegelmer is finally detected by a streptavidin/alkaline phosphataseconjugate converting a chemiluminescence substrate. Such a sandwichhybridisation assay was also applied to detection and quantification ofan RNA aptamer as described by Drolet et al. (Drolet et al., 2000).

Hybridisation Plate Preparation

The 193-G2-012 capture probe (SEQ ID NO:240) was immobilized to whiteDNA-BIND 96-well plates (Coming Costar, Wiesbaden, Germany) at 100 nM in0.5 M sodium phosphate, 1 mM EDTA, pH 8.5 over night at 4° C. Wells werewashed twice and blocked with 0.5% w/v BSA in 0.25 M sodium phosphate,0.5 mM EDTA, pH 8.5 for 2 h at 25° C., washed again and stored at roomtemperature until use. Prior to hybridisation, plates were washed twicewith wash buffer (3×SSC, 0.5% [w/v] sodium dodecyl sarcosinate, pH 7.0;in advance a 20× stock [3 M NaCl, 0.3 M Na₃Citrate] is prepared withoutsodium lauroylsarcosine and diluted accordingly).

Sample Preparation

All samples were assayed in duplicates. Plasma samples were thawed onice, vortexed and spun down briefly in a cooled tabletop centrifuge.Tissue homogenates were thawed at RT and centrifuged 5 min at maximumspeed and RT. Samples were diluted with hybridisation buffer (40 nM193-G2-012 detection probe [SEQ ID NO:241] in wash buffer) at RTaccording to the following scheme:

1:10 10 μl sample +90 μl hybridisation buffer and 1:100 20 μl 1:10 +180μl hybridisation buffer.

All sample dilutions were assayed. Human SDF-1-binding Spiegelmer193-G2-012-5′-PEG standard was serial diluted to a 12-point calibrationcurve spanning the 0.001-40 nM range. Calibration standard was identicalto that of the in-study samples.

Hybridisation and Detection

Samples were heated for 5 min at 95° C. and cooled to room temperature.Spiegelmer/detection probe complexes were annealed to immobilizedcapture probes for 45 min at 25° C. at 500 rpm on a shaker. UnboundSpiegelmers were removed by washing twice with wash buffer and 1× TBST(20 mM Tris-Cl, 137 mM NaCl, 0.1% Tween 20, pH 7.5), respectively.Hybridized complexes were detected by streptavidin alkaline phosphatasediluted 1:5000 in 1× TBST for 1 h at 25° C. at 500 rpm on a shaker. Toremove unbound conjugate, wells were washed again with 1× TBST. Wellswere finally filled with 100 ml CSDP substrate (Applied Biosystems,Darmstadt, Germany) and incubated for 45 min at 25° C. Chemiluminescencewas measured on a FLUOstar Optima microplate reader (BMGLabtechnologies, Offenburg, Germany).

Data Analysis

The following assayed sample dilutions were used for quantitative dataanalysis: rat EDTA plasma 1:100

The data obtained from the vehicle group (no Spiegelmer wasadministered) was subtracted as background signal.

ELISA for Quantification of Spiegelmer

The amount of SDF-1 present in the plasma samples was quantified with anin vitro enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay which employs an antibodyspecific for human SDF-1α coated on a 96-well plate (Human SDF-1α ELISAkit; RayBiotech, Norcross GA, USA). The assay was performed according tothe instructions of the vendor.

Results

As shown in FIG. 33, the regular plasma level of SDF-1 in untreated ratsis in the low picomolar range (approximately 50 pM). By contrast, theplasma level of rats that were treated with human SDF-1-bindingSpiegelmer 193-G2-012-5′-PEG looks different: within the first eighthours after administration of human SDF-1-binding Spiegelmer,193-G2-012-5′-PEG the SDF-1 plasma level increased to approximately 700pM. Between 12 and 72 hours the SDF-1 plasma level decreased down toapproximately 50 pM again. This time course of SDF-1 plasma level can bedirectly correlated with the plasma level of human SDF-1-bindingSpiegelmer 193-G2-012-5′-PEG. Because of renal elimination of humanSDF-1-binding Spiegelmer 193-G2-012-5′-PEG, the plasma level of humanSDF-1-binding Spiegelmer 193-G2-012-5′-PEG decreased from approximately1100 nM to below 50 nM within 72 hours. However, human SDF-1-bindingSpiegelmer 193-G2-012-5′-PEG (MW approximately 54000 Da) was noteliminated out of the body within an hour as can be seen fornon-PEGylated Spiegelmers (approximately 15000 Da) or other moleculeswith a molecular mass below the filtration limit of the kidney likeSDF-1. The endogenous SDF-1 was bound by human SDF-1-binding Spiegelmer193-G2-012-5′-PEG, forming SDF-1-Spiegelmer-complexes whereby theelimination and/or degradation of SDF-1 was retarded what as consequenceled to elevated SDF-1 plasma levels within the first eight hours. Due toproceeding elimination of human SDF-1-binding Spiegelmer193-G2-012-5′-PEG over time—whereby the elimination rate is much slowerthan for much smaller molecules like SDF-1—the plasma level of thecomplexes formed by human SDF-1-binding Spiegelmer 193-G2-012-5′-PEG andSDF-1 decreased (FIG. 33).

REFERENCES

The complete bibliographic data of the documents recited herein are, ifnot indicated to the contrary, as follows, whereby the disclosure ofsaid references is incorporated herein by reference.

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The features of the present invention disclosed in the specification,the claims and/or the drawings may both separately and in anycombination thereof be material for realizing the invention in variousforms thereof.

All references cited herein are herein incorporated by reference inentirety.

1. An L-nucleic acid molecule that binds an SDF-1, wherein the L-nucleicacid molecule comprises in 5′→3′ direction, a first stretch ofnucleotides, a core nucleotide sequence and a second stretch ofnucleotides, wherein the core nucleotide sequence comprisesGGUYAGGGCUHRX_(A)AGUCGG (SEQ ID NO: 90), wherein X_(A) either is absentor is A; and the first stretch of nucleotides comprises 5′ RKSBUSNVGR 3′(SEQ ID NO:120) and the second stretch of nucleotides comprises 5′YYNRCASSMY 3′ (SEQ ID NO:121); or the first stretch comprises 5′X_(S)SSSV 3′ (SEQ ID NO:124) and the second stretch comprises 5′BSSSX_(S) 3′ (SEQ ID NO:125), wherein X_(S) either is absent or is S; orthe first stretch comprises 5′ UGAGAUAGG 3′ (SEQ ID NO:94) and thesecond stretch comprises 5′CUGAUUCUCA 3′ (SEQ ID NO:212); or the firststretch comprises 5′ GAGAUAGG 3′ (SEQ ID NO:94) and the second stretchof nucleotides comprises 5′ CUGAUUCUC 3′ (SEQ ID NO:212).
 2. TheL-nucleic acid molecule according to claim 1, wherein the corenucleotide comprises 5′ GGUYAGGGCUHRAAGUCGG 3′ (SEQ ID NO:91).
 3. TheL-nucleic acid molecule according to claim 1, wherein the corenucleotide comprises 5′ GGUYAGGGCUHRAGUCGG 3′ (SEQ ID NO:92)
 4. TheL-nucleic acid molecule according to claim 1, wherein the corenucleotide comprises 5′ GGUUAGGGCUHGAAGUCGG 3′ (SEQ ID NO:93).
 5. TheL-nucleic acid molecule according to claim 1, wherein the first stretchcomprises 5′ SSSSR 3′ (SEQ ID NO:130) and the second stretch 5′ YSBSS 3′(SEQ ID NO:131).
 6. The L-nucleic acid molecule according to claim 1,wherein said SDF-1 comprises a human SDF-1.
 7. The L-nucleic acidmolecule according to claim 1, wherein the L-nucleic acid molecule is anantagonist of an SDF-1.
 8. The L-nucleic acid according to claim 1,further comprising a modification.
 9. The L-nucleic acid according toclaim 8, wherein said modification comprises a hydroxyl ethyl starch(HES) moiety or a polyethylene glycol (PEG) moiety.
 10. The L-nucleicacid according to claim 9, wherein said modification consists of astraight or a branched PEG moiety.
 11. The L-nucleic acid according toclaim 10, wherein said straight or said branched PEG moiety comprises amolecular weight from 2 to 180 kD.
 12. The L-nucleic acid according toclaim 9, wherein said HES moiety comprises a molecular weight from 10 to130 kD.
 13. A pharmaceutical composition comprising the L-nucleic acidaccording to claim 1 and a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient, aspharmaceutically active agent or combination thereof.